Gone
by Kayrah
Summary: Sara is kidnapped, and with a serial killer on the loose, the CSI has to catch the killer before she becomes the next victim
1. Moods

I know, I've got two stories up already. Well, I finished writing one of them. And for the other my co-writer is sick, and I'm getting bored. I decided to write this one  
  
SD-CSI doesn't belong to me.  
  
Chapter 1  
  
Two cars pulled in front of a Las Vegas mansion. Out of one car Warrick Brown and Gil Grissom walked out with their kits. Out of the other car Sara Sidle came out with her kits. Warrick and Grissom were well dressed and looked ready for work. Sara looked like she had not taken a shower, quickly brushed her hair, and thrown on the first outfit she could find. Her hair was flat, instead of the usual curl at the bottom. Her jeens were ripped at the knees and she had thrown on a purple tank top with a matching button- down sweater. Grissom and Warrick were dressed in their normal suits. Sara slipped her car keys into her pocket. Warrick took one look at Sara and almost burst out lauging.  
  
"Nice outfit," he sneered.  
  
Grissom raised an eyebrow at her, "what happened?" he asked her.  
  
"It's called being woken up at 1 o'clock and being told to be out of the house and to a crime scene in 20 minutes," she said, glaring at Grissom.  
  
"You didn't have time to put on more decent clothes?" Grissom asked.  
  
Sara gave him a look and swung her arms in the air, "men!" she exclaimed.  
  
"What about them?" Warrick asked.  
  
"They do not understand women at all," she declaired, then she went marching, kit in hand, to the mansion.  
  
Warrick and Grissom looked at each other and shrugged.  
  
"Does it take women longer to get dressed?" Warrick asked.  
  
"It must," Grissom said.  
  
"Glad I'm not one," Warrick said. Grissom nodded in agreement and they also walked to the house where Sara was waiting impatiently.  
  
"I don't get this," Sara said as the three walked into the hand.  
  
"What?" Grissom asked.  
  
"The guy kidnaps women from their homes, keeps them for a while, takes them back home, and kills them," Sara said. "If you're going to bring them back, why kidnap them at all? And why only long, brown haired women?"  
  
"Those are questions only the killer can answer," Grissom said solemly.  
  
"Than I guess we find the killer," Sara said sweetly.  
  
"It's called our job," Warrick said, Sara slapped him on the head. "Ow, what was that for?"  
  
"For being an idiot," Sara said bluntly. "Grissom what do we do?" she asked.  
  
Grissom thought for a moment, "Sara, why don't you check out the perimiter of the house, Warrick, start printing, and I, will gather other evidence."  
  
"Yes, sir," Sara said, going out the front door and closing, a little loud, behind her.  
  
"What's with her?" Warrick asked Grissom.  
  
"Lack of sleep?" Grissom said, "she has been working overtime on this case."  
  
"True," Warrick said, he took out the printing kit from his field kit. "After this, I think she should get a day of vacation if she keeps that attitude."  
  
"Warrick!" Grissom said, Warrick ignored him. Grissom shrugged and started taking pictures.  
  
Outside  
  
"I hate getting up early," Sara said grumply to herself. She spotted a shoeprint on the ground and took a picture of it. "It can make me so PMSy," she finished.  
  
She began walked around the house again, noticing several footprints. In the back of the mansion, almost as far away from the boys as she could get, she noticed a smear on the wall. She took a picture on it and on closer inspection noticed it was blood. She put down her kit and took out a swab. She turned toward the wall and began to take a sample. She heard someone walk up behind her.  
  
'It's probably Warrick' she thought to herself.  
  
"Hey, can you put this in my kit and give me another one?" she asked without turning around. She held up the swab. The person took it from her and handed her another one.  
  
"Thanks," she said, she looked at it and noticed that it was the wrong one. She started to turn around. "Hey this is the wrong one," she said, she turned around. Her eyes opened wide and she gasped.  
  
Inside  
  
"Hey, Warrick," Grissom said.  
  
"Yeah?" Warrick asked.  
  
"Can you go check on Sara, she hasn't come by and it's been 45 minutes," Grissom said.  
  
"Sure," Warrick said, putting down the tweezers he was using to pick up fibers.  
  
"Thanks," Grissom said, returning to his work. Warrick walked out.  
  
"Hey Sara," he said, walking around a corner, "Grissom needs you. Sara, Sara?" Warrick came to the back of the house, where the smear was. "Why isn't she checking this?" he asked himself. "Hey, Sara, you slacking off?" he asked. "Sara, come on, this aint funny," he said, looking around the house. He went to the front and saw that her car was gone, he shook his head. "Grissom's gonna kill her for leaving," he said to himself. He walked into the house.  
  
"You find her?" Grissom asked.  
  
"No," Warrick said, Grissom raised his eyebrow, "but her car is gone to."  
  
"She left?" Grissom asked.  
  
"I think so," Warrick said.  
  
"That is not something she would do," Grissom said.  
  
Warrick shrugged, "she was not acting like Sara today," he said.  
  
Grissom frowned, "let's finish up here and go. For the sake of her job, let's hope she has a legitimate reason for leaving."  
  
"Grissom," Warrick said.  
  
"Yes?" he asked; he was still frowning.  
  
"There was a smear on the back wall, do you want me to picture it and take some swabs?" he asked.  
  
"Yes," Grissom said.  
  
"Ok," Warrick said, walking out.  
  
"God, Sara," he said to no one, "you had better have a good reason, he's pissed." 


	2. Bonds of Sisterhood

Chapter 2  
  
Warrick and a very grumpy Grissom walked into the CSI building to start the shift. They went on a search for Sara. They went to the brake room and found Catherine.  
  
"Why the face?" she asked Grissom as she stuffed some salad into her mouth.  
  
"Have you seen Sara?" he asked her.  
  
"No," Catherine said, "I don't think she's here yet. Why?"  
  
"She left the scene today," Warrick said.  
  
"What do you mean?" Catherine asked.  
  
"He means that she skipped, left, went home, without telling us why," Grissom said. Catherine sat back in her chair with a surprise look on her face  
  
"Sara wouldn't do that," Catherine said quietly.  
  
"She just did," Grissom said.  
  
"Grissom, when she gets here, I'll talk to her," Catherine said.  
  
"No, I will talk to her," Grissom said.  
  
"Ha!" Catherine said, "Men!"  
  
"What?" Warrick said, "why do you and Sara say that?"  
  
"Because it's true," Catherine said.  
  
"What is?" Grissom asked.  
  
"It's a woman thing," Catherine said, "you wouldn't understand."  
  
"You're right, I probably wouldn't," Grissom said.  
  
"And that's why I should talk to her, as a girl I know that we open up better to other women than to men," Catherine said.  
  
"She tells me many things," Grissom said.  
  
"Not as many as she tells me," Catherine said, she walked over to Grissom, "when I see her, I will talk to her, than you can get on her back."  
  
"Damn it Catherine," Grissom said.  
  
"Don't you damn it Catherine me, Grissom. There is a thing called the bonds of sisterhood," Catherine said, she left the room.  
  
"What?" Grissom asked.  
  
"I don't know, I'm guessing it's something only women and girls understand," Warrick said.  
  
"Damn," Grissom said.  
  
"It's true," Warrick said.  
  
"What?" Grissom asked.  
  
"That women open up more to other women than to men," Warrick said.  
  
Grissom shook his head.  
  
  
  
Sara groggily opened her eyes. Her head hurt like hell. She rubbed her eyes and tried to lift her head. A jolt of pain shot through her neck. She quickly put her head back where it was, on the pillow. Pillow? Pillows were not outside, she had been. Well, she thought that she had been outside. Yes, she had, she remembered now. Taking blood of the wall with a swab. She was so tired, but she didn't want to go to sleep. Suddenly something cold was at her lips. She knew she shouldn't drink it, but she was so thirsty. The temptation finally took over. She let the moist, sweet substance enter her mouth and go down her throat. She finally fell back into a blissful unconsciousness. 


	3. Without A Trace

After the reviews I've been getting I had to put this. I hope the boys don't mind my little feminine jokes.  
  
Chapter 3  
  
Grissom and Catherine walked out of the CSI building together.  
  
"I may have gotten her up early, but it gives her no right to skip work," Grissom said angrily.  
  
"Personally, I'm worried, she could have at least called," Catherine said.  
  
"Well, I am going over there and getting an explanation out of her right now," Grissom said, he walked towards his car. Grissom got in his car and started to turn on his engine when Catherine appeared by the passenger side window.  
  
"I am going with you," Catherine said, getting into the car.  
  
"You can't go with me," Grissom said.  
  
"Oh yes I can. If I don't, you will probably kill her or she you. I am going over there for support," Catherine said. "Now go."  
  
"Fine," Grissom said, turning on the engine. The two rode in silence for a couple of minutes.  
  
"Tell me exactly what happened at the scene," Catherine said.  
  
"Well, she came all ratted and tattered and was extremely disagreeable. She kept saying that men don't understand women. I told her to check the perimeter and when she didn't come back in 45 minutes I sent Warrick out to look for her. He said that no part of her was there, her kit, or anything. Her car was gone to," Grissom said.  
  
"Why was she saying that men don't understand women?" Catherine asked.  
  
"I asked her why she was dressed so improperly when she had 20 minutes," Grissom said.  
  
"Only 20 minutes!" Catherine exclaimed, amazed.  
  
"Okay, I get dressed and ready in 10," Grissom said.  
  
"God, you're fast, it takes me half an hour to an hour," Catherine said.  
  
Grissom stopped at a stop sign and stared at her openmouthed.  
  
"How the hell does it take you that long?" he asked.  
  
"Well," she said, "there's the…"  
  
"Never mind, I don't want to know," Grissom said. He came to Sara's apartment complex. "Is this it?" he asked, he went for the directions.  
  
"Yeah," Catherine said, "it's over there," she pointed to one of the complexes.  
  
"How do you know that?" Grissom asked.  
  
"Lindsey and I have gone over there for dinner," Catherine said calmly, as if this wasn't big news.  
  
"She never invited anyone else over for dinner," Grissom said.  
  
"Duh, we work with mostly men," Catherine said. Grissom stopped the car and the two got out.  
  
"Okay, if you know so much, where is it?" Grissom asked.  
  
"This way," Catherine said, walking through one of the doors. She walked up one flight of stairs and stopped at an apartment.  
  
"E6," Grissom said, looking at his directions, "this is it."  
  
"No duh," Catherine said.  
  
"Okay, the two of you are moody today, is there something I should know about?" Grissom asked.  
  
"Nothing you want to know about," Catherine said.  
  
Grissom shook his head and knocked on the door. "Sara?" he asked. "Sara, it's Catherine and Grissom, open up."  
  
"Don't go in there," a little voice said behind them. The two turned around. It was a little kid.  
  
"Why not?" Grissom asked, leaning down to be at eye level with the kid.  
  
"The Vampire Lady sleeps during the day," the kid said. Grissom looked questioningly at Catherine.  
  
"It's a little nickname the kids gave her, she works at night you know," Catherine explained.  
  
"Well," Grissom said, turning back to the kid, "I'm her boss and I need to talk to her. Do you know how I can get in?"  
  
The kid nodded and walked to the door. He sat on the floor and pulled a loose brick from the wall. He reached his hand into the wall and pulled out a key. The kid replaced the brick. Catherine and Grissom stared at the kid dumbfounded.  
  
"She put one of her keys there, I saw her. She didn't think anyone saw, but I did. Put it back, I don't want her to know it's missing," the kid said.  
  
"Thank you," Grissom said, taking the key from the kid.  
  
"You're welcome," the kid said, she skipped away.  
  
Grissom held up the key. "Intelligent, completely hidden from our eyes," Grissom said.  
  
"Oh, your admitting she's smart," Catherine said.  
  
"I have always thought she was smart," Grissom said. "What was that supposed to mean?"  
  
Catherine shrugged. "Open the door," she said.  
  
"We aren't supposed to do this," Grissom said.  
  
"She's not supposed to not come to work," Catherine said.  
  
"Fine," Grissom said. He unlocked the door. It swung open.  
  
"Sara?" Catherine asked, stepping into the room. "Sara it's Catherine." Catherine started to walk around the apartment.  
  
"Nice place," Grissom commented as he shut the door. He looked around. Nothing was out of place. The apartment was spotless.  
  
"She likes a clean place," Grissom said.  
  
"She has no opportunity to mess anything up," Catherine said, emerging from a bedroom.  
  
"She isn't here," Catherine said.  
  
"Where else would she be?" Grissom asked. Catherine shrugged.  
  
"The library?" Catherine offered.  
  
Grissom saw that there was a message on her machine. He pushed the button to play back the message.  
  
"Sara, wake up, it's Grissom. We got another body. Grissom, it's 1 o'clock in the afternoon. I know. Click," the machine said. "One oh two p.m."  
  
"Nice conversation the two of you had," Catherine said. Grissom shrugged.  
  
"She's gone," Catherine said.  
  
"Yeah, without a trace," Grissom said. 


	4. Discoveries

Hi, I apologize to all the males out there who don't get my feminine humor. If you don't get what I am joking about, look it up or ask your parents.  
  
Chapter 4  
  
Sara woke up a second time. Her head still hurt, but her neck didn't. She put her hand on her head and felt something weird. She pulled her hand away from her head and looked at it. There was something red on her hand. Blood. The recollection hit her. But why was it on her? She had to find a mirror. She sat up slowly, checking for any broken bones. There weren't any. She stood up even slower and looked around. She was in a small, dark room. The only lights were two hanging from the ceiling. They cast a dull glow on the black walls. She could barely see anything. She started to walk around slowly. She almost tripped over something and noticed that it was a pen. "Why is this here?" she asked herself. She looked up and saw the walls. All over the walls was writing. Before she could read it the door opened. Sara spun around. A man was standing in the doorway. In his hand he held a plate of food and a water bottle.  
  
"I see that you're awake," he said, placing the food on the ground. He walked over to her and touched her head. Sara pulled away. "I am going to have to see that, Christine," he said.  
  
"Bastard," was all Sara said.  
  
"Now, now Christine. You know better than to speak like that. If you want to write me a note, you can, on the wall," he said. "Now, about that cut."  
  
"Don't touch me!" Sara commanded. She pulled away and headed to the back of the room.  
  
The man smiled. "I see that you are in a bad mood, we can talk later. Please, eat," the man said, he left the room and locked the door.  
  
Sara looked at the food. It was some salad, an apple, and a piece of bread. Even though she was hungry she pushed it away. She would not let him order her around. "God, where is Grissom?" she asked herself. Sara felt dizzy again.  
  
"How much blood have I lost?" she asked the air. She fell back into the small cot and almost fainted. 'Definitely lost too much blood' she thought to herself. The dizziness took over her. She fell back into unconsciousness.  
  
CSI  
  
"Hey, Grissom, have you seen Sara? I have the results," Greg said, coming up to Grissom that night.  
  
"No, I haven't seen her," Grissom said.  
  
"Ok," Greg said, giving Grissom a folder, "here are those results the three of you wanted."  
  
"Thanks, Greg," Grissom said. "And if you see her, tell her to come to my office."  
  
"Will do," Greg said, he walked off.  
  
Grissom rubbed his temples, fighting off a headache. "Sara, where the hell are you?" he asked himself.  
  
"Hey, Grissom," Eckile said, coming up behind him.  
  
"What?" Grissom asked.  
  
"Heard your officer is missing, filed a report yet?" Eckile asked.  
  
"It hasn't been 48 hours yet, if she is still missing by then I will file a report," Grissom said.  
  
"Well, aren't you grumpy today," Eckile said, clearly trying to taunt him.  
  
"Eckile, one of my officers left without leaving a hint or a trace. I happen to be worried," Grissom said.  
  
"Yeah, especially since she fits that serial killer's MO almost perfectly," Eckile said.  
  
"I noticed, the only difference is the hair length," Grissom said. His beeper beeped.  
  
"Listen, I have to go, we can talk later," Grissom said.  
  
"Wonderful," Eckile said. Grissom walked off.  
  
"You're welcome," Catherine said, meeting him at a corner.  
  
"Thanks a lot, I knew I would get hounded by him eventually," Grissom said.  
  
"Are you really going to wait 48 hours?" Catherine asked, sounding concerned.  
  
"Of course not, I'm not an idiot. Those rules don't apply when they disappear on duty," Grissom said.  
  
"So when are you?" Catherine asked.  
  
"Now, of course," Grissom said. "It's been to long. She would have called us if she left on our own accord. She knows that we will be worried about her."  
  
"I hope so," Catherine said to herself.  
  
"What is that supposed to mean?" Grissom asked.  
  
Catherine looked at him, clear concern in her eyes. "Figure it out, and then talk to Sara. And not just talking to her. Really talk to her," Catherine said.  
  
"I do talk to her," Grissom said, trying to defend himself.  
  
"No you don't," Catherine said.  
  
"Yes I do," Grissom said.  
  
"Look, I'm not going to argue with you over this," Catherine said. "But you don't know Sara at all, or know what goes on inside her head. You close up so much around her that she can't actually talk with you." After she said what she wanted to say Catherine walked away. Grissom stared at her openmouthed.  
  
"Grissom, wassup?" Nick asked, coming up behind him.  
  
"Damn, Nick," Grissom said.  
  
"Sorry," Nick said. "I heard. Have you filed a report?"  
  
"God, does everyone know?" Grissom asked. "And, no, I haven't. I was about to."  
  
"Yes, everyone knows. And good, for filing a report," Nick said.  
  
"Nick, don't you and Catherine have a case?" Grissom asked.  
  
"Yeah, why?" Nick responded.  
  
"Get off mine," Grissom said, he walked off.  
  
"Someone's not in a very good mood today," Nick said.  
  
Grissom walked down to Brass's office and knocked on the door.  
  
"Come in," Brass said. "Grissom!" he sounded surprise.  
  
"Hello, Brass. I'm guessing you heard," Grissom said.  
  
"About what? Why are you down here?" Brass asked.  
  
"You haven't heard about Sara?" Grissom asked.  
  
"No, what about her?" Brass asked.  
  
"She's missing. I want to fill out a missing persons report," Grissom said. Brass stared at him.  
  
"She's missing?" Brass asked.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"How long?"  
  
"About 2 o'clock yesterday, at a crime scene."  
  
"I'll file it immediately."  
  
"Thanks."  
  
"You're welcome."  
  
A beeper interrupted their 'conversation'. The two men both look at their beepers.  
  
"Mine," Grissom said. "Greg."  
  
"Great," Brass said, "I'll see you at the next murder."  
  
Grissom rolled his eyes and walked out.  
  
Warrick and Grissom met Greg in the lab.  
  
"I have your results," Greg said.  
  
"Great, what are they?" Grissom asked.  
  
"I have to warn you," Greg said, "they aren't happy."  
  
"Just tell us the god damn results," Warrick said.  
  
"Fine," Greg said. "In that smear you found, Warrick, there were to different DNA's."  
  
"Who's?" Warrick asked.  
  
"Well," Greg said, "one belonged to the victim. But the other belonged too…"  
  
"Who, Greg?" Grissom asked impatiently.  
  
"Sara." 


	5. Theories

Chapter 5  
  
Several police cars and two white vans pulled up to where the murder/kidnapping took place. Grissom got out of one of the vans first.  
  
"You," he ordered a police man, "I want you to close off the area, with a 75 meter radius." The police officer saluted and went to do his task. "And you," Grissom ordered another police officer, "go get the scent dogs, see if they find her in the radius." The officer called it in. "Nick," Grissom said.  
  
"Yeah?" he replied.  
  
"You and Catherine go check the smear," he ordered. Catherine and Nick went off.  
  
"Warrick, you and I will check the woods," Grissom said. "I don't want anyone alone, the guy came back once, he could do so again! And be very cautious!" Grissom yelled to everyone. The police officers all saluted and went back to work.  
  
"Grissom," a voice said from behind him. Grissom turned around, it was Brass.  
  
"Yes?" Grissom asked.  
  
"I changed this from missing person to kidnapping, possible homicide," Brass said. Grissom closed his eyes and took a deep breath.  
  
"I don't believe this is happening to me," Grissom said.  
  
"This is hard for everyone," Brass said, "everyone is stunned, amazed, and scarred. Like with Holly." Grissom nodded in agreement.  
  
"Except that we knew that Holly was dead," Grissom said.  
  
"Grissom, are you coming?" Warrick asked.  
  
"Yes, I am," Grissom said.  
  
"I'll be all over," Brass said, "the press is going to have a field day."  
  
"Try to keep the press out, and in the dark," Grissom said.  
  
"Will do, am doing. Now go. You have an investigation to do," Brass said. Grissom nodded and went after Warrick.  
  
"Do you think it's him?" Warrick asked.  
  
"Who?" Grissom asked.  
  
"The serial killer," Warrick said.  
  
"Yes," Grissom said, "I do. And that's why we need to find her fast."  
  
"Yeah, before she winds up dead," Warrick said.  
  
"Hey, look at this," Warrick said, he kneeled down onto the ground.  
  
"What?" Grissom asked, following suit.  
  
"This," Warrick said, holding up a piece of brown hair. "Fourteen inches, female?"  
  
"Probably," Grissom said. Warrick put the hair into an evidence bag.  
  
"Do you think she retaliated?" Warrick asked Grissom.  
  
"No, unless she was on her guard," Grissom said.  
  
"Why wouldn't she?" Warrick asked.  
  
"She was probably working when the kidnaper came over and got her. He probably either kidnapped her on the spot or knocked her out. She probably didn't even know what had happened," Grissom said. Warrick nodded his head in agreement.  
  
Catherine and Nick  
  
"Ohh, something bad happened here," Nick said.  
  
"Remember, most of the blood is from the dead woman who owned the house," Catherine said.  
  
"If Sara's blood is on the wall it means that she was probably working. She probably didn't even know what hit her," Nick said.  
  
"That's awful," Catherine sighed out.  
  
"I know," Nick said. "Hey, look at this." Nick pointed to a separate blood smear, which ended in a small pool of blood.  
  
"Sara?" Catherine asked.  
  
"Only one way to find out," Nick said. He took out his camera and took some pictures. Next he opened his kit. Nick took a swab while Catherine looked for anything else.  
  
"Look at this," Catherine said, pointing to something on the ground. She took a picture and then picked it up to show Nick.  
  
"What is it?" Nick asked Catherine.  
  
"It's a swab," Catherine said.  
  
"What's it doing in the grass?" Nick asked.  
  
Catherine gasped.  
  
"What?" Nick asked her.  
  
"She was working. She probably turned around to get a swab from her case when…" Catherine began.  
  
Nick nodded his head. "Looks that way," Nick said.  
  
"How did he get her out, in her car, right in front of Grissom and Warrick?" Catherine asked.  
  
"Well, that's obvious," Nick said.  
  
"What?" Catherine asked.  
  
"Warrick and Grissom were concentrating on the scene, the only way they would have gotten him is if, by some miracle, one of them came outside," Nick said.  
  
"What about her kit?" Catherine asked.  
  
"If she was unconscious he could have put her in the car and come back," Nick said.  
  
"How did the kidnaper get her into the car?" Catherine asked.  
  
"Sara's not very big. He probably carried her easily," Nick said.  
  
"Without getting blood anywhere?" Catherine asked.  
  
"If she is dead, wrapped the body. Alive, covered the cut with some cloth or something," Nick said.  
  
"You sound like you did this yourself," Catherine said with a mock accusation.  
  
Nick shrugged, "you know you watch to much discovery channel when," he said. Catherine laughed.  
  
"What's so funny?" Grissom asked, coming up behind them.  
  
"Oh, hi Grissom. Nick and I were just joking about the discovery channel," Catherine said.  
  
"Will that help us find Sara?" Grissom asked.  
  
"Depends," Nick said.  
  
"Nick has a theory," Catherine said. She put the swab into an evidence bag.  
  
"Great. Catherine, why are you doing that?" Grissom said.  
  
"We found it in the grass, near the pool of blood we think is Sara's," Catherine said.  
  
"Where is it?" Grissom asked.  
  
"The grass?" Catherine asked.  
  
"No, the blood," Grissom said.  
  
"Right here," Nick said. Grissom walked over and looked at it.  
  
He sighed with relief. "It's not enough blood to cause death by loss of blood."  
  
"That's good," Warrick said.  
  
"But it is enough for her to get sick of blood loss," Grissom said.  
  
"That's not," Warrick said.  
  
"We have to find her soon," Grissom said, "and get her too the hospital."  
  
Sara woke up again. She felt something cold on her forehead. She opened her eyes and saw the man. She started to scream when he covered her mouth.  
  
"We don't want to ruin your pretty little voice, now would we," the man said. His hand was at her forehead. She batted his hand off her mouth. "Are you going to scream?" he asked her. Sara tried to shake her head but it hurt too much. She closed her eyes in pain. "Good," the man said, he took his hand off her mouth.  
  
"What are you doing?" she asked him.  
  
"I am cleaning your cut," he said. He showed her the towel he was using to clean around the cut. It was covered in blood. Sara winced at the sight of her own blood. The man laughed. "You can stare all day at the blood of others, but when it comes to your own blood…" he started.  
  
"Shut up," Sara said.  
  
"That kind of language is not going to get you into a better room," the man said. "Neither is your attitude," he said, referring to the food that was all over the walls.  
  
"What do I have to do to get out of here?" Sara asked.  
  
"Be a good little girl," the man said. "Now, you are very weak and need to eat." He held up a bowl. "Vegetable soup, your favorite, my little Christine," he said. He picked up a spoon and spoon-fed her.  
  
'Who the hell is Christine?' Sara thought to herself. After 10 minutes she held up her hand to stop the man. He stopped immediately. "I want to sleep," she said.  
  
"Fine, I will finish cleaning that cut later," he said. He stood up and left. After she knew he was gone she stood up. She put her hand on the wall to keep herself up.  
  
"I need to go to the hospital," she told herself. She purposely took out a piece of her hair and put it on the ground. Next she put her fingerprints all over the wall and floor. "If I die, at least people can find out that I was here," she said to the air.  
  
She went on to read the notes on the wall.  
  
You Bastard  
  
Rot in hell  
  
Let me go  
  
Please don't kill me  
  
23rd Psalm  
  
Oh lord please help me  
  
I am going to kill myself if you don't let me go  
  
Why?  
  
The other messages were very similar. Sara took the pen out of her pocket and took off the top.  
  
You don't scare me!  
  
Sara wrote it very clearly on the wall, she moved to another place.  
  
Do I scare you?  
  
Sara breathed heavily from the use of all the energy she was using. Sara moved to another place on the wall.  
  
They will hunt you down and find you. You can't hide.  
  
She stood back, proud of her work. She moved to another place.  
  
Who are you? Why are you doing this? Where are we? What are you planning?  
  
Sara closed the top of the pen. She suddenly felt very week. Dizziness started to take her over again. She walked back to the bad and lay down.  
  
"I can't push myself to hard, I lost to much blood," she told herself. Sara lay in the bed staring at the wall 


	6. Media

I want to thank you all for the wonderful reviews. And I want to thank the person who complimented me in their story. I was so touched I started to cry. Excuse me, but I am kind of sick and I gotta go.  
  
Chapter 6  
  
After visiting the scene the team arrived back at the CSI building where reporters were their welcoming committee.  
  
"Is it true one of your officers has become the next victim?"  
  
"Is there any hope in getting her back?"  
  
"Is there any hope of getting her back alive?"  
  
"Do you have any suspects?"  
  
"Do you have any clues?"  
  
The team bowed their heads and proceeded through the crowd.  
  
"Ouch," Grissom said as a camera hit him on the head. Despite his pain he was not fazed and he went into the building.  
  
"Get those reporters out of here!" Grissom yelled at a security guard.  
  
"Grissom, what happened? You're bleeding!" Catherine said, her voice was very concerned.  
  
"I had another run in with a camera," Grissom said.  
  
"Well, we had better get that cleaned up. You can't help her if you're hurt," Catherine said, guiding him to the brake room where the first aid kit was.  
  
"Ah, thank you Catherine," Grissom said as she gave him a pack of ice.  
  
"Did you find anything?" Catherine asked him.  
  
"A piece of hair and a blank address book," Grissom said. "I'm going to see if there's any erased writing on it."  
  
"Give it to Greg immediately," Catherine said. "I will go entertain the reporters."  
  
"Thank you," Grissom said, "I really didn't want to."  
  
"No problem," Catherine said. Grissom shook his head clear. "Are you all right?" Catherine asked him.  
  
"I'm fine. Let's go. We have to save Sara," Grissom said, he stood up and threw the ice bag into the trash. The two walked out. Grissom headed towards the lab and Catherine to the reporters.  
  
Lab  
  
"Greg," Grissom said, coming into the office.  
  
"Yeah?" Greg asked.  
  
"We found a blank address book at the scene, I want you to…" Grissom started.  
  
"Run it through testing? All ready doing. The results will be in by morning," Greg said.  
  
"You do very well when motivated," Grissom said.  
  
"What does that mean?" Greg asked. "Anyway, I will have those blood test results to you in about three hours."  
  
"Greg, are you feeling sick?" Grissom asked him.  
  
"No, it's just. Sara is Sara. I know her and I want to see her back here alive," Greg said.  
  
"Good answer," Grissom said. "Now I'll be in my office reviewing the case."  
  
Outside  
  
"Oh, thank god you're here," the receptionist said. "They're dying for answers and the police can barely hold them back."  
  
"Well, I will give them all the answers I can," Catherine said. She stepped outside the office building.  
  
"Excuse me!" she shouted. "If I can have your attention please!" The reporters actually quieted down.  
  
"Thank you," Catherine said. "Please, I will answer whatever I can IF YOU BEHAVE YOURSELVES. Now we are going to play the kindergarten game and raise our hands before you ask a question."  
  
The crowd mumbled for a couple of seconds before several microphones were stuck in her face and several hands went into the air. A detective behind her was picking people.  
  
"Is it true that an officer is the next victim of the Brunette Basher?" a reporter asked.  
  
Catherine took a deep breath. She knew this was coming. "We cannot be sure until the evidence is processed," Catherine said.  
  
"Is there any hope in getting her back? And alive?" another asked.  
  
"There is always hope," Catherine said.  
  
"Is the FBI going to get involved?" the next asked.  
  
"We have the top crime lab in the country, I don't think we need the FBI," Catherine said.  
  
"Has this effected your skills as an investigator?"  
  
"Despite our personal attachment to the CSI officer, our judgment and skills have not been clouded."  
  
"Can you release her name?"  
  
"At the moment we cannot release any personal information on the newest victim."  
  
"Are you the supervisor here?"  
  
"I can also not release any personal information about myself or any officer here at the CSI or the LVPD."  
  
"What information can you give us?"  
  
"That we are going forward into the investigation and you must excuse me, I have a serial killer to catch." With that Catherine walked into the CSI building and left many cursing reporters outside.  
  
"Nice job," Nick said. "Why didn't Grissom do it?"  
  
"Grissom got decked by a camera earlier this evening," Catherine said.  
  
"Ouch," Nick said. Catherine's beeper went off.  
  
"Come on, let's go," Catherine said. The two rushed to the lab where Greg, Brass, Warrick, and Grissom were.  
  
"Ok Greg, what is it?" Grissom asked.  
  
"Your blood results show that the pool of blood is Sara's," Greg said.  
  
"Damn it," Grissom said.  
  
"But the hair isn't," Greg said, Grissom looked up.  
  
"What about the other victims'?" Grissom asked.  
  
"Not theirs either," Greg said, "but we did find a match."  
  
"Who?" Grissom asked.  
  
"Michael Drofward," Greg said.  
  
"Catherine," Grissom said, "run him through VICAP."  
  
"All ready did, Grissom," Greg said, he handed everybody a folder. "He was actually charged for stalking, kidnapping, and killing a young girl in Florida. He plea bargained the charge to manslaughter, served his time, and got back on the streets three years ago."  
  
"Damn Greg, you are just looking for a raise," Warrick said.  
  
"No, actually, I'm looking for Sara," Greg said.  
  
"That's reasonable," Grissom said. "Catherine, Warrick, Nick, Brass, let's go."  
  
Grissom and the others walked out of the room.  
  
"Are we going to go talk to him?" Catherine asked.  
  
"Yeah, get a search warrant," Grissom said.  
  
"Calling it in," Brass said. Brass pulled out his cell phone and talked to someone on the other end for a couple of minutes. "We got it," he said, "it'll be delivered to the house."  
  
"Let's go," Grissom said.  
  
"Christine, oh, Christine, please wake up," a man's voice said. Sara slowly opened her eyes. She was aware that she was on a soft bed, not a cot.  
  
Sara sat up quickly. She gasped, as she became dizzy and fell back onto the bed.  
  
"Oh Christine, don't hurt yourself," the man said.  
  
"Where the hell am I?" Sara asked him. Sara refused to look at him and instead looked at the white ceiling.  
  
"I moved you to your room. You have been a good girl in not trying to escape when I kept the door unlocked so I thought you would like to be more comfortable.  
  
'No wonder I didn't hear the door lock' Sara thought to herself 'damn it, I could have escaped.'  
  
"You couldn't have escaped anyway, I was waiting by the door," the man said.  
  
Sara closed her eyes for a couple of seconds and then she opened them.  
  
"Who are you?" she asked him.  
  
"Why, don't you remember me?" the man asked. "I must have hit you a little too hard."  
  
"I can vouch for that," Sara said. The man started to laugh.  
  
"That's what I love about you, Christine, you can always make me laugh. Now, change your clothes, you have been wearing those things for over two days now." With that the man left the room. Sara slowly sat up and looked around the room. It was pink. She hated pink. It was so, girlie. Sara looked down at her clothes and saw how dirty they were.  
  
"Well, I hated this shirt anyway," Sara said. She walked over to the closet and opened it. It was lined with dresses, skirts, and shirts.  
  
"I might as well stay in these," she said. But then she noticed some scratches at the bottom of the closet. She bent down to look at them.  
  
Do what he says.  
  
1 Don't disobey him  
  
Don't make him mad.  
  
Sara guessed that the messages were written by the other kidnapped girls.  
  
'I should listen to them' Sara thought to herself.  
  
Sara looked through the closet and found a short, black skirt and a red tank top.  
  
"This will certainly point me out if my body is in the woods," Sara said.  
  
She also took out a black leather jacket. She put on some black tights and some black boots that went up to her knees.  
  
"I can't believe I am dressing like a prostitute," Sara said.  
  
She looked at herself in the mirror.  
  
"Good God, I actually look good in this," she said. She sat down because she started to feel tired again. After she felt better she got up and went over to the vanity. On the table were some directions.  
  
Make yourself at home, Christine. Dress up nice and behave. I also want you to put on makeup and be like you used to be. Remember, I love you, my dear.  
  
"Freak," Sara said.  
  
Beside the letter was a picture. Sara gasped at the resemblance. The person could have been her. It was a woman in her early to mid thirties. She had the same hair and eye color as her. The length was almost the same.  
  
"So, you must be Christine," Sara said.  
  
Sara decided to obey the directions. This man had killed 8 women already and she was next. She must act like Christine until she could escape. Sara opened the makeup kit and proceeded to put on makeup and style her hair. When she was done the door opened and Sara turned around.  
  
"Ah, Christine, how lovely you look," he said.  
  
"Thank you," Sara said politely.  
  
"Time for lunch," he said, holding up a tray with two plates on it. "I thought we could eat lunch together."  
  
"What is it?" she asked him.  
  
"It has no meat, because I know you hate it," he said. The man put down the tray and handed one to Sara. She looked at it. It had a quiche on it.  
  
"What kind?" she asked.  
  
"Vegetable," he said, "the only kind I would give you."  
  
Sara smiled at him, "thank you." She picked up the fork and started eating it. It tasted so bad she almost spit it out.  
  
"Mmmm, this is delicious," she said, almost choking herself. He beamed.  
  
"I knew you'd like it. You always did," he said, clearly proud of himself.  
  
"It's wonderful," Sara said. 'Oh dear God, what did I do to deserve this?' she asked herself. Sara quickly finished it. "Thanks for eating with me," Sara said, handing him her plate.  
  
"You're welcome," the man said. He put the plate on the tray, picked up the tray and started to walk out. Sara seized her opportunity. She ran over and slammed him head into the wall. He fell to the ground and she figured she had knocked him out. Sara ran out of the room and down the hallway. She was almost all they way down the hallway when something hard hit her on the back of the head. She was unconscious before she hit the floor. 


	7. Interviews

I am too good at keeping my word. I didn't want to put this up until spring brake so I could torture you, but still. I have to keep my promises. Seven more and you get the next chapter.  
  
Chapter 7  
  
Grissom, the other criminalists, and Detective Brass walked up to Michael's door. Grissom rang the doorbell. A tall, muscular man opened the door. He was holding an ice pack to his forehead  
  
"Hello sir, I am Gill Grissom from the Las Vegas Crime Lab, this is Detective Jim Brass from homicide, and these are my colleagues. We would like to ask you some questions," Grissom said pleasantly.  
  
"Uh, sure, come inside," Michael said.  
  
"What happened to your head?" Catherine asked.  
  
"My girlfriend and I got into a fight," he said.  
  
"And she hit you?" Warrick said.  
  
"And ran off," the man said.  
  
"Must have been some fight," Brass said.  
  
"It was. I can't believe it got so out of hand," he said. "Now, that's an awful subject. What is it you wanted to ask me?"  
  
"Sir, your hair was found at the scene of a murder and kidnapping. Can you explain that?" Grissom asked.  
  
"Depends where," the man said.  
  
"1288 Market Street, Las Vegas (hope there isn't really a street named that)," Grissom said.  
  
"Um, yeah, I can. I am an electrician. I fixed something for the young woman who lived there," he said.  
  
"Michael, do you mind if we search your house, a warrant is on its way," Grissom said.  
  
"Sure, come right in. Is the woman all right? She was a really nice person. Gave me a good tip," the man asked.  
  
"Michael, she is dead," Catherine said.  
  
"How do you know my name?" the man asked.  
  
"VICAP," Catherine said blankly.  
  
"Right," the man said. "I'll just go out to the barn."  
  
"What's in the barn?" Warrick asked.  
  
"Woodwork. It's a hobby. I'm going there to get out of your way," Michael said.  
  
"I'll go with you," Warrick said.  
  
"No," the man said flatly. "You see, it's kind of a private thing."  
  
"Ah, you do things that could harm your tough guy image," Warrick said.  
  
"Yes, that's it," Michael said.  
  
"Fine then, I'd better get to my work," Warrick said.  
  
"And I to mine," Michael said. Warrick went to meet up with Grissom and the others while Michael went out to the barn.  
  
"Warrick, where the hell were you?" Grissom asked as Warrick entered.  
  
"Talking with Michael. He has a barn in which he does woodwork, he is very secretive about it," Warrick said.  
  
"He could have put her in there," Catherine said.  
  
"We don't have a warrant for the barn and unless we find something here we won't get one," Grissom said.  
  
"Even if we have suspicions," Nick said.  
  
"Hell-o," Catherine said.  
  
"To who?" Grissom asked, not spotting her curse.  
  
"I just cut my finger, god damnit," Catherine said. She shook her hand and started to suck at the cut.  
  
"Smart one, Catherine. Just please don't get any blood on the carpet," Nick said. Catherine gave him an evil look and he backed off.  
  
"Let me see it," Grissom said with genuine concern.  
  
Catherine reached out her hand.  
  
"Ah, tis only a flesh wound," Nick said, trying to make a joke. Warrick slapped him on the back of the head.  
  
"Ouch, hey man, why'd you do that?" Nick asked.  
  
"Because Sara aint here to do it," Warrick said.  
  
"Really, it is only a cut," Catherine said.  
  
"Well you better get that bandaged up and get yourself a new pair of gloves," Grissom said, he turned back to his work.  
  
"Great," Catherine said, rolling her eyes. She ran out to the van to get a band-aid. When she got to the car Grissom's cell phone rang.  
  
"Now, what the hell is that doing in here?" she asked. She picked up the cell.  
  
"Hello, Willows speaking," she said. "I know that this is Grissom's cell, he left it in the van. Yes, uhhu." As the person on the end of the line talked, Catherine's eyes got wide. Catherine hung up the phone and ran inside, forgetting the band aide.  
  
"Grissom!" she yelled, coming into the room.  
  
"What?" he asked, coming over to him.  
  
"You left this," Catherine said, handing him his cell phone.  
  
"Is that what you are in a rush to tell me?" Grissom asked, confused.  
  
"No," Catherine said, out of breath.  
  
"What then?" Grissom asked.  
  
"They found a body."  
  
Ah ha ha, I am so evil to you. Remember, seven reviews to see if the body really is Sara. 


	8. Body Bags and Realizations

Dum dum dum dum. That was evil of me. Has the fate of Sara really been revealed? Read and find out. Also, I am going on a little trip, so I wont be able to update for awhile.  
  
1 Chapter 8  
  
It was pouring down rain. Two white vans pulled up to the side of a road. A dead body was covered with a sheet. The night shift got out of the van and walked over. They had their kits in one hand and umbrellas in the other.  
  
Brass came back from talking to a police officer.  
  
"They said she's been dead for awhile. They are also pretty sure that it's her," he said, he purposely didn't use Sara's name.  
  
"You look," Grissom said to Catherine.  
  
"Are you sure?" she asked him  
  
"I don't think I could," Grissom said.  
  
"Ok," Catherine said uncertainly. She took a deep breath and walked over to the body. She slowly lifted the plastic sheet to see the victim's face. She looked at the face for a second and then put down the sheet again. Catherine turned around and sighed. She opened her eyes.  
  
"It's not her," she said with great relief.  
  
The entire team breathed a sigh of relief.  
  
"Who is she then?" Grissom asked, regaining his composure.  
  
Catherine gave him a look. "And how the hell am I supposed to know every person in the world by face and name?" she asked him.  
  
"You're not?" Grissom asked. Everyone started laughing. The laughs weren't genuine but of relief.  
  
"Well, let's get to work," Nick said, taking out his camera.  
  
Sara woke up. She noticed that her head hurt more and that she was far weaker. She also noticed that her neck, ankle, shoulder, and wrist hurt.  
  
'Well, aren't I Mary Sunshine?' she thought to herself.  
  
"Christine, I see that you are awake again," the man said, coming into the room.  
  
"I feel sick," Sara said.  
  
"Well, you lost a lot of blood, you bad, bad girl," he said.  
  
"What happened?" Sara asked.  
  
"You tried to leave, you pushed me into the wall. I had to hit you with the tray," he said.  
  
"You had to?" Sara asked.  
  
"Yes, there is no other way to get you in control," he said.  
  
"Please, tell me your name," Sara said.  
  
"Michael," the man said.  
  
"Michael, I like that name," Sara said.  
  
"You always say that," Michael said.  
  
"Well I mean it," Sara said. She tried to get up but something pulled her down. "What was that?" she asked.  
  
"Handcuffs, I hope you don't mind me using them," he said.  
  
"Why am I handcuffed to the bed?" she asked.  
  
"To keep you in line," he said. Sara closed her eyes and pretended to go to sleep. The man smiled and left the room.  
  
"Goodnight, Christine," he said.  
  
After 10 minutes had passed and she was sure he had gone, Sara opened her eyes. She laughed to herself as she wriggled herself out of the handcuff.  
  
"Lesson number one," she told no one, "never cuff someone with their own cuffs, they could know how to get out of them." Sara adjusted the cuff so that it was more comfortable around her wrist. Than the dizziness took over and she collapsed into unconsciousness.  
  
Grissom sat in his office trying to sort things out.  
  
"Why is this case getting to me so bad?" he asked himself.  
  
Then he remembered why. Tears of worry spilled down his face. He covered his face with his hands and started to cry.  
  
Catherine walked into the office to give him some reports. She stopped when she saw Grissom so broken up. Catherine looked extremely amazed. She turned around and ran silently down the hall.  
  
Catherine came back a few minutes later with Nick and Warrick.  
  
"Yo, Griss, man, it aint cool to cry in front of a lady," Warrick said.  
  
Grissom lifted his head.  
  
"Get the hell out of my office!" he yelled at him.  
  
The three left, but Nick stuck his head back in.  
  
"Hey, Grissom, is there something we need to know about?" he asked.  
  
Grissom threw a book at him but Nick shut the door just in time.  
  
Nick stuck his head back in, "no, really, Griss, is there?"  
  
Grissom threw another book at him; this one actually hit him in the face.  
  
"I get the point," Nick said, he walked out.  
  
This time Catherine walked in.  
  
"Grissom?" she asked, sounding concerned. "Don't tell me you're ok, because you're not."  
  
"You're right, I'm not," Grissom said. Catherine sat down in a chair next to him.  
  
"Tell me about it," she said.  
  
"I am so damn worried about Sara, she could be in need of serious medical attention right now and we can't give it to her. Also, this case has barely any evidence in it," Grissom said.  
  
Catherine smiled and put her hand on Grissom's.  
  
"You also think of Sara like a daughter. You are trying not to let your feelings come out but they have to, Grissom, it's a way of coping. Greg is going nuts. Nick is making jokes. Warrick is diving into the case. And I am being like Warrick. The only one whose way of coping could hurt the investigation is you. You are shutting the world out and giving into your sorrow. It is clouding your skills, Grissom," Catherine said. Catherine stood up and started to leave the room. She turned back for a second.  
  
"Grissom, I am here if you need to talk, we all are," Catherine said.  
  
'She's right,' Grissom thought to himself. He picked up the case folder for the serial killer and started to go over it. 


	9. Information please

Sorry I haven't updating. I had this big project due and I went on a vacation.  
  
SD-what do you think?  
  
Chapter 9  
  
Grissom sat in his office going over the evidence from Sara's case. Grissom rubbed his temples with his pointer fingers.  
  
"I hate this case," he said to himself.  
  
He had given the 'dead woman on the highway' case to Eckile and his day shift. Eckile had not been pleased.  
  
Grissom took his tarantula out of its cage and held it in his hand. For some reason this relaxed him.  
  
"Now, can you help me find her?" he asked it.  
  
"Do you always talk to the tarantula?" Catherine asked. She was standing in the doorway.  
  
"How long have you been standing there?" he asked her.  
  
"Long enough," Catherine said. She put a folder on his desk, "They found her car, Nick and Warrick are already on their way there."  
  
Catherine left the room. It took a minute for it to sink in, but when it finally did, Grissom shot out of his office as fast as he could. Catherine was outside in her car, the passenger side door was open and waiting for him. Grissom got into the car and shut the door. Catherine took out a stopwatch and turned it off.  
  
"Forty-five seconds, I now owe Warrick ten bucks," she said.  
  
"What?" Grissom asked.  
  
"I told him it'd take you a minute to get out here," she said. She turned the car on.  
  
"They're waiting for us," she said.  
  
When the two finally got to the scene, Warrick and Nick were hard at work. Nick came over to them.  
  
"Passing cop found it this morning, called it in. We id'd it, it's Sara's," he said.  
  
"Thanks," Grissom said, getting out of the car. "Wait, I left my kit."  
  
"Not really," Catherine said, she stuffed it into his hands.  
  
"How did you…" Grissom started.  
  
"Know? I just knew," Catherine said.  
  
"Hey, Grissom," Warrick said from the back seat of Sara's car.  
  
"What?" he asked.  
  
"Blood," Warrick said.  
  
"How much?" Grissom asked.  
  
"Not much, but enough," Warrick said.  
  
"Get it to the lab," Grissom said.  
  
"Where else would it go?" Warrick asked.  
  
"Warrick," Grissom warned.  
  
"I haven't slept," Warrick replied in defense.  
  
"I can tell," Grissom said.  
  
"Gris, we got a second set of prints on the wheel, and two different strands of brown hair," Catherine said from the front seat.  
  
"Good," Grissom said. "Nick, have you found anything?"  
  
"No, the guy even took her kit," Nick said, his head still in the trunk.  
  
"Who's this?" Catherine asked, she took out a picture from the front seat and turned it over. "Christine, June 26, 1989."  
  
"The killer left a clue," Grissom said, taking the picture from her.  
  
Sara awoke and attempted to sit up. She had to lay back down because of the handcuffs. She heard breathing beside her. She turned her head and saw the man sitting beside her bed in a chair.  
  
"Michael," she said softly. He awoke immediately.  
  
"Is there something, anything?" he asked her.  
  
"How long has it been since you got me from that other woman's house?" she asked him.  
  
"Four days, it's 10:30 AM now," he said.  
  
"I don't remember much, please, tell me about me," Sara said.  
  
"You are a nurse. Your name is Christine Daniel and you are my fiancee. You disappeared six years ago. The people said you were dead, but I didn't believe them. I have looked for you and found many imposters. No one should look like you, Christine, that is why I had to make them go away. So you could be the most beautiful person in the world," the man said this and stroked Sara's hair gently.  
  
"I'm so sorry I scarred you," Sara said.  
  
"It's ok, now we can always be together," he said.  
  
"Yes, always," Sara smiled softly at him. "Can you leave? I need some more sleep," Sara asked.  
  
The man got out of his chair. "Goodnight, love," he said.  
  
"Goodnight," Sara said. The man left the room. Sara closed her eyes and thought of the many ways she could escape. After thinking up ways to escape she thought up the many ways she could beat this guy up. Next she thought up the many vegetarian meals she could make, without quiche. Each thought made her smile more.  
  
'This guy is going to have one hell of a brake-down when he finds out who I am. And who I am not,' Sara thought to herself. Sara stared at the wall, trying to do nothing but bore herself.  
  
'I will have to go soon.' 


	10. Oportunities

Chapter 10  
  
"Dinner!" the man came into Sara's room with a tray and a bowl on it.  
  
"Noodle soup," he declared.  
  
"Wonderful," Sara said sarcastically, opening her eyes.  
  
"I knew you'd like it," he said. He put the tray down on her bed. He stuck the silver spoon into the porcelain bowl.  
  
'Now,' Sara thought.  
  
Sara sat up a little and leaned forward to get the soup. While doing so she 'accidentally' tipped the tray over onto the floor and on the man.  
  
"Oh my God! Are you ok? I didn't mean to do it!" Sara said, feigning worry.  
  
"Oh, darling, it's ok. It was an accident. Besides, it was only chicken soup, it won't stain," he said. He got off his chair to start picking the noodles and vegetables off the ground.  
  
'Now or never," Sara thought. She wriggled her wrist out of the cuff and sat up.  
  
"Hey," she said, the man looked up. "Never kidnap me, it just makes me mad," Sara said. She kicked him in the side of the head with the side of her boot. He fell, nearly unconscious, to the floor. Sara got up off the bed and stood up. The man tried to stand up but Sara kicked him again. This time she kicked him in the chest. The force knocked him into the side of the bed. He became unconscious. Sara bent down and checked his pulse. It was strong. She checked his head to make sure he wouldn't bleed to death. He wouldn't. To make sure he wouldn't follow her, even though he probably had the key on him, Sara handcuffed him to the side of the bed.  
  
Sara couldn't resist. She knelt down and kissed his forehead. "Bye, honey," she said. Then she spun around and ran out.  
  
Sara ran down the hallway and down the stairs. She took the ten-dollar bill that was lying by the door. She didn't see any keys so she ran off without them. Sara ran down the stairs and looked behind her to make sure no one was following her. Sara put the money into her pocket and kept running. She kept running even though she was fully aware that she was weak and was feeling dizzy.  
  
'I just hope blood loss doesn't take me over before I can get a ride,' Sara thought to herself.  
  
Sara tripped on some pebbles in the road. She fell down and scrapped her knee.  
  
"Damnit!" Sara called out. Her ankle hurt so much she could barely stand.  
  
'I hate these boots, I probably just sprained my ankle," Sara thought.  
  
Cursing to herself, and holding back tears of pain, Sara stood up and kept running.  
  
'I probably look like shit,' she thought to herself.  
  
Sara reached the highway after about five minutes. Sara stopped for a second to catch her breath. Sara almost fainted so she started to run again. She ran for almost another four minutes when she saw a truck coming her way. She started waving furiously at it. The truck slowed. It was a blue Toyota.  
  
"Need something, miss?" the man in the truck asked her. Sara ran to the window.  
  
"Oh, God. Thank God you're here. Please, help me. Take me to Las Vegas. I was kidnapped," Sara barely finished saying it when she fainted right in front of him.  
  
"Aw, shit, somehow, I know I'm gonna get in trouble," the man said. He turned of the engine, stepped out of the truck, and picked her up.  
  
"Las Vegas, eh?" he asked her. "Well, mystery lady, you're lucky I'm headed that way."  
  
The man carried her over to the other side of his truck. He opened the door and put her in. He looked down and saw that his shirt had blood on it. He looked at Sara (mystery woman) and saw the cuts on her head.  
  
"Damn, you're gonna get me in big trouble young lady," he scolded her, not realizing that she was a grown woman (she looked 17 in her outfit). "And don't you get blood on my seat. Sara scooted down in her seat some. Some blood got on the seat.  
  
"Never mind," he said. The man walked to his side of the truck and got in. He started the engine and the two left.  
  
Grissom and the others were in the conference lab going over the evidence.  
  
"Grissom, we've gone over this six million times," Catherine said impatiently, she had her head in her and kept brushing it back, "I've practically memorized it all."  
  
"I know Grissom, can't we get a brake?" Nick asked. He was actually being serious.  
  
"There has got to be something here we missed," Grissom said, leafing through reports, evidence, etc.  
  
"Damnit, Grissom, 10 minutes is all we're asking, just 10 God damn minutes," Warrick said. Warrick picked up his coffee cup and tried to drink from it. Getting nothing, he turned it upside down and not even a drop came out.  
  
"Christ, Grissom, we've been in this room for three damn hours. I'm going nuts, I tell you, nuts," Catherine said.  
  
"You three can have a brake," Grissom said. Catherine and the others stood up quickly. "In thirty minutes once we've gone over this one last time."  
  
Catherine sat down slowly next to Grissom.  
  
"Grissom," she said, she was smiling with a forced smile. "I have told you time and time again that I need a brake, now I will tell you why. I haven't slept in the past 28 hours. I haven't eaten in the past twenty-two. All I have had is coffee and water. And I swear, upon anything, that I am ready to kill to get something to eat and/or some sleep. Do you understand me?" Catherine asked. She was still smiling.  
  
Grissom gave her a weird/frightened look. "Catherine, I have worked with you for a while. You have: surprised me, irritated me, made me feel dumb, and others things, but this is the first time you have actually scarred me," Grissom said, taking off his glasses.  
  
"Does that mean we actually get a brake?" Catherine asked.  
  
"Five minutes," Grissom said. Catherine and the boys ran out of the room but Nick came back in for a second.  
  
"God, and I thought Millander was freaky," Nick said, he ran out.  
  
Catherine came back in, "excuse me, but I have some hunting to do," Catherine pulled out her gun.  
  
"Just don't kill him," Grissom said.  
  
Grissom sat back in his chair and started to think. 'I didn't know Catherine could be like that,' he thought to himself.  
  
Brake Room  
  
"Damn, Catherine, since when do you go around threatening bodily harm to people?" Warrick asked Catherine as she was eating her pasta salad.  
  
"It's the way I get when I repeatedly don't get enough sleep or enough to eat," Catherine said. "And I wouldn't do anything to get on my bad side when I'm like this. The last person who did ended with a broken finger."  
  
"Ok, scary Catherine," Nick said, backing out of the room.  
  
"What's going on?" Brass asked, coming into the room.  
  
"Catherine's in a bad mood. One that could likely get someone killed. Hey Cath, you wanna hand me that gun?" Nick said.  
  
Catherine looked down at her gun and smiled. "I wouldn't recommend it," she said.  
  
"Ok Catherine, you need sleep," Brass said, "but I have to talk to all of you in the conference room."  
  
"Good, that's where Grissom is," Warrick said. Catherine stood up and picked up her salad.  
  
"Where are you going with that?" Brass asked.  
  
"I am talking it with me," she said.  
  
"Why?" Brass asked testily.  
  
"Drop it," Nick said, "she will kill you if you don't."  
  
"Whatever, just, don't get it on anything," Brass said. The four walked out of the room. Eckile had the luck of walking around the corner at that moment.  
  
"Hey, no food out of the brake room," he told Catherine.  
  
"Shit," Nick and Warrick said together, remembering the conference room.  
  
Before Eckile could react, Catherine had him pinned up against the wall; her hand on his neck.  
  
"I have not slept in 28 hours, this is the first thing I've eaten in 22, and I have a gun. Don't mess with me. The food comes with me. Got it?" she asked him, looking right into his eyes. Eckile nodded quickly.  
  
"Good," Catherine said, she let go of his neck and slammed him into the wall. Catherine walked down the hallway to the conference room. The four men stood (yes, Eckile too) openmouthed.  
  
"Who votes to give her a vacation, raise your hand," Nick said.  
  
"Me," Warrick said, all four raised their hands.  
  
"I think we better go to the conference room," Brass said.  
  
"Yes, bye Eckile," Nick said. Warrick, Nick, and Brass walked down to the conference room.  
  
"Damn, that woman is strong," Eckile said, he walked the other way.  
  
Conference room  
  
The three men walked in the conference room to see Grissom sitting in his chair looking over the evidence and Catherine in another chair eating her pasta salad and looking like a cat that swallowed a canary.  
  
"Catherine, I applaud what you did to Eckile," Nick said.  
  
"Thank you," Catherine said.  
  
"What did she do?" Grissom asked.  
  
"Oh, Eckile tried to tell her off but Cath pinned him up against a wall and told him," Warrick said. "It was beautiful."  
  
"Did you hurt him?" Grissom asked Catherine.  
  
"No," Catherine said in a mischievous voice, "but I could."  
  
"Ok, Catherine, be quiet, I need to tell all of you something," Brass said.  
  
"What?" Grissom asked.  
  
"They found Sara," Brass said.  
  
Everyone tried to keep his or her composure.  
  
"Dead or alive?" Grissom asked, a little too calmly.  
  
"Alive, but barely, she's not that well, but she's alive," Brass said. "A truck driver picked her up and brought her to the hospital, that's all I know."  
  
"Let's go," Grissom said. The team ran out to their cars. 


	11. Sara

Chapter 11  
  
He had never seen Sara like this. She was like a daughter to him. He could barely stand to see her like this. The fact was that it scared him. Her normally slightly curly brown hair was straight and messy. Her skin was a pasty white. She was thin, bone thin. She had lost a lot of weight in her five days of absence. He knew that it was mostly blood lost.  
  
The doctors had put her on an IV that was dropping blood right into her veins. They had just finished stitching up the cuts on her head. They were going to run some tests on her after she had finished getting the blood in her system.  
  
"Oh my god," Catherine said, Grissom had been the only one able to see her so far. The others were just now getting clearance. "I didn't know that it was so bad."  
  
"Yeah, it's bad," Grissom said, turning away from the window. "The good thing is that she'll be ok."  
  
"Yeah," Catherine said.  
  
"Where are the others?" Grissom asked.  
  
"Arguing with the nurses to give them clearance," Catherine said.  
  
Grissom shook his head. "Has anyone spoken with the driver?" he asked her.  
  
"No, the police wanted us to speak with him first.  
  
"Well, shall we?" Grissom asked, offering Catherine his hand.  
  
"The sooner we go, the sooner we get back here," Catherine said.  
  
Catherine and Grissom walked to where the man was being held.  
  
When they walked in he stuck his hands in the air.  
  
"I didn't do nothin' to her," he said. "I was playin' Good Samaritan like my mommy taught me."  
  
"We aren't here to arrest you," Catherine said.  
  
"Good," the man said; he sat down again.  
  
"But you could still have a lawyer," she said, "for picking up a hitch- hiker."  
  
"I didn't do nothin' wrong. I see some little girl wavin her hands at me lookin' lost, I stop to help her, I don't need no lawyer," he said.  
  
"Great," Grissom said. "We first wanted to thank you for saving her life."  
  
"You're welcome," the man said.  
  
"What is your name?" Catherine asked the man.  
  
"Ron," the man said.  
  
"No last name?" Catherine asked.  
  
"It's on my driver's license, but I like Ron," Ron said.  
  
"Great, Ron, would you like to know a little about the woman you picked up.  
  
"Woman? She couldn't have been more than twenty," Ron said.  
  
Catherine almost laughed, "she's just over thirty, sir," Catherine said.  
  
"Damn, she looks good for her age," Ron said.  
  
"She'll be happy to hear it," Catherine said. "She is an officer for the Las Vegas Crime Lab, like I am. She was kidnapped by a serial killer five days ago. She somehow managed to escape and find you. You saved her life," Catherine told Ron.  
  
Ron sat back in his chair and tried to sink it all in. "You mean to tell me I just saved someone? All I thought I was doing was helping a little girl," he said.  
  
"You did more than that," Grissom said. "These officers are going to want a full statement, in as much detail as possible, from you." Grissom and Catherine stood up and left the room.  
  
"Whatever I can do to help," Ron said.  
  
"That's all we're asking him?" Catherine asked Grissom.  
  
"The cops can do it, we have to be with Sara right now," Grissom said.  
  
"Let us go," Catherine said.  
  
The two walked back to Sara's room silently.  
  
"Hey, where have yall been?" Nick asked them.  
  
"You got clearance," Catherine said.  
  
"Yeah, and you got a better mood," Nick said.  
  
Catherine slapped him on the back of the head.  
  
"Or not," Nick said. Catherine smiled.  
  
"They said that once you two came back that we could go in," Warrick said, he came back with a bag of chips.  
  
"Where's Brass?" Grissom asked.  
  
"Interviewing the driver," Warrick said, popping a chip into his mouth.  
  
"Let's go in then," Grissom said.  
  
"Ladies first," Nick said, clearing the doorway for Catherine.  
  
"Thank you," Catherine said, she walked into the room. The boys followed.  
  
Catherine and Grissom both moved chairs to beside Sara. Nick and Warrick leaned against the wall. They waited for Sara to wake up. 


	12. Dr. Mahon

Chapter 12  
  
Sara woke up slowly. The first thing she saw was Catherine sleeping in a chair beside her.  
  
"Catherine…" she said softly. She woke up.  
  
"Sara" Catherine asked softly, "how are you feeling?"  
  
"Like shit," Sara said, rubbing her eyes. "Where am I?"  
  
"The Las Vegas hospital," Grissom said.  
  
"Grissom? You're here?" Sara asked.  
  
"We're here to," Nick and Warrick said together.  
  
"How did I get here? The last thing I remember is running and trying to flag down some truck," Sara said.  
  
"The truck stopped and the man brought you here," Grissom said.  
  
Sara looked over at the IV stand.  
  
"So that's how they give blood," she said. "I guess I live up to my name."  
  
"What? Vampire lady?" Grissom asked.  
  
"Grissom," Catherine said warningly.  
  
"Oo, Catherine's gonna get you," Nick said.  
  
"I still have my gun," Catherine said.  
  
"I meant it as a compliment to you," Nick said.  
  
"That's good," Catherine said.  
  
Nick and Warrick walked over to Sara's bed.  
  
"Jesus, Sara, you look like shit," Nick said.  
  
"Nick!" everyone else but Sara shouted; but Sara started laughing.  
  
"I bet I do, Nick," she said. "And thanks for the good laugh.  
  
A doctor came into the room.  
  
"Miss. Sidle?" he asked.  
  
"Yes," Sara said.  
  
"Hello, I am Dr. Mahon, I am working your case," he said, shaking her hand. "I thought that you might want to know what's going on."  
  
"I do," Sara said.  
  
"Do you mind if they're in the room?" he asked her, indicating her guests, Grissom frowned and Catherine looked ready to pounce on him. Warrick put a hand on her shoulder to hold her back.  
  
"They're my coworkers and working my case, they'll find out anyway," Sara said.  
  
"Ok, then," the doctor said. "As you might have noticed, you lost a lot of blood."  
  
"No, really?" Nick said.  
  
"Nick," Grissom said warningly.  
  
"You also twisted your ankle, sprained your wrist, got several cuts and bruises, and had to get several stitches on your head. We are going to have to run some tests to see if your head was effected in any way," Dr. Mahon said.  
  
"Great," Sara said sarcastically.  
  
"I need to ask you a few questions," the doctor said.  
  
"Shoot," Sara said.  
  
"What is your name?"  
  
"Sara Sidle."  
  
"Where do you work?"  
  
"The Las Vegas Crime Lab."  
  
"What is the point of this?" Nick interrupted.  
  
"To see if she suffered any memory loss," Dr. Mahon said. "Back to my questions."  
  
"Where did you go to college?"  
  
"Harvard, I think," Sara said, the doctor wrote down something on his pad.  
  
"High School?"  
  
"No clue."  
  
"Elementary school?"  
  
"Drawing a blank."  
  
Where did you used to live?"  
  
"In California."  
  
"What city?"  
  
"San Francisco."  
  
"What are your parents names?"  
  
Sara told him.  
  
The questioning went on for five minutes. Sara either didn't answer or answered wrong most questions about childhood and growing up until about when she was 18 years old.  
  
"The conclusion I draw is that you have lost some of your long term memory," the doctor said.  
  
"This is stupid, who remembers the name of their elementary school anyway?" Sara asked.  
  
Everyone in the room raised their hands.  
  
"Damn," she said.  
  
"I am getting you into Cat-Scan as soon as possible," Dr. Mahon said. He left the room.  
  
"Oh, god," Sara said.  
  
"Don't worry, Sara, it'll all come back, I think," Catherine said.  
  
"I still can't believe this is happening to me," Sara said.  
  
"We can't either," Grissom said.  
  
"So, how's the party?" Brass asked, coming into the room. "Ah, I see sleeping beauty has awakened."  
  
"Are you trying to flatter me?" Sara asked.  
  
"Yes," he said.  
  
"All right, that's it, someone help me up. I want to look into a mirror," Sara said.  
  
"I'm not sure if this is a good idea," Nick said.  
  
"I want to see myself, people keep commenting on how I look. I want to see for myself," Sara said.  
  
"Fine," Catherine said. "Grissom, grab that arm and the IV."  
  
"Yes ma'am," Grissom said, he grabbed Sara's left arm and Catherine grabbed her right arm. Nick took the IV stand and pushed it along.  
  
The three brought Sara to the room's bathroom where there was a full-length mirror.  
  
Sara screamed when she saw herself. "What the hell happened to me? I look like and albino pencil with brown hair," she declared.  
  
"Aw, come on Sara, you don't look that bad," Nick said.  
  
"Oh, you're helping the matter," Sara said.  
  
"I must have lost thirty pounds!" Sara said. "I know I haven't been eating much since I got kidnapped and there's the loss of blood. But this is ridiculous!" Sara exclaimed.  
  
"Sara, don't get too worked up over this, you're still weak," Grissom said. "Besides, you'll get it all back quickly."  
  
Grissom was trying to be supportive, but he was just saying the wrong things.  
  
"Weak! I'll show you how weak I am," Sara said. She shrugged out of Catherine and Grissom's arms, grabbed the IV rack from Nick's and walked, very slowly and limping because of her ankle, back to her bed.  
  
"I guess Sara can never be weak," Warrick said.  
  
"Am I going to get a chance to say anything?" Brass asked.  
  
"You can speak now," Sara said, she laid down.  
  
"The truck driver wants to see you," Brass said.  
  
"The one that brought me here and saved my life?" Sara asked.  
  
"That very one," Brass said.  
  
"Send him in," Sara said.  
  
Brass walked out and came in a few minutes later with the man.  
  
"Hi there," he said, "we never got a chance to talk out on the highway."  
  
"We didn't, did we?" Sara said. Sara noticed his shirt. "What happened?" she asked.  
  
"I had to carry you around to the other side of my truck to put you in, somewhere along the way you got blood on me," he said.  
  
"Sorry to ruin a perfectly good shirt," Sara said.  
  
"No problem, my mom's gonna be proud with me for doing a good deed and so will me wife and kids, that is worth more than anything," he said.  
  
"Yes it is," Sara said. "I'm guessing you're a god fearing man."  
  
"Yup, and proud of it," he said. "Are you really going to be ok?"  
  
"Yes," Sara said. "And before you go, I'm sure someone will lend you a new shirt. A bloody shirt causes trouble out on the highway."  
  
"I'm sure it does," the man agreed. "Is there anyway to get the blood off me seat?" he asked her.  
  
"No, not unless you replace it," Sara said.  
  
"Damn," the man said. "I happy you feel better."  
  
"Thank you. And thanks for saving me," Sara said.  
  
"Oh, you're welcome. Good bye," the man left the room.  
  
"He's nice," Sara said.  
  
"Yes, but you have to get down to Cat Scan," Dr. Mahon said, appearing in the doorway.  
  
"When will I go home?" Sara asked.  
  
"When I say you can. And then I suggest staying away from your house and with a friend or colleague. Your house will probably be the first place the kidnapper looks," he said.  
  
"How many crime novels do you read?" Sara asked him.  
  
"Too many," he said.  
  
"I can tell." 


	13. Lindsey's tea party

Chapter 13  
  
The doctors released Sara later the next day.  
  
"You have only slight memory loss," Dr. Mahon said, "the weight you lost will come back soon."  
  
"But I am completely healthy?" Sara asked.  
  
"If you weren't, I wouldn't be releasing you," Dr. Mahon said. "But I want to see you next week for a check-up."  
  
"Fine," Sara said. They stood up and shook hands. Dr. Mahon escorted her out of his office where a wheelchair was waiting for her.  
  
"You know I have to ask why," she said.  
  
He shrugged. "Hospital policy."  
  
"Damn," Sara said, she sat down.  
  
A nurse rolled her out of the building where the team was waiting for her.  
  
"What's with the chair?" Nick asked her.  
  
"Hospital policy," she said.  
  
"Oh, just give me a hug," Nick said. Sara and Nick hugged.  
  
"We're so glad your ok," Warrick said, giving her a hug.  
  
"Um, hi Sara, I'm sorry I couldn't come last night," Greg said shyly.  
  
"It's ok Greg," Sara said, hugging him. Greg looked like he had just won the lottery.  
  
"I was so worried about you," Grissom said, he hugged her the longest.  
  
Catherine hugged Sara, "so, are you ready to go to your temporary home?" she asked.  
  
"If you know where it is," Sara said.  
  
"My house, Lindsey said she'd love to have another playmate," Catherine said.  
  
"All righty then," Sara said, she and Catherine walked arm in arm to Catherine's car.  
  
  
  
"Hi, Sara," Lindsey said, coming up to meet them.  
  
"Hi," Sara said.  
  
"Wanna play tea party?" Lindsey asked.  
  
"Sure," Sara said. "Catherine?" The question was more of a command.  
  
"Why not," Catherine said.  
  
"Yes," Lindsey said, grabbing Sara and skipping off.  
  
Catherine paid the baby-sitter and went after them.  
  
Sara walked into the kitchen where Lindsey had taken Sara. Lindsey had dressed Sara in a green dress and a puffy hat with a big purple feather sticking out.  
  
Before Catherine could laugh, Lindsey stuffed something in her face.  
  
"Wear this," Lindsey said.  
  
Catherine looked at it. It was a bright pink dress and the hat had a yellow bow on it. Catherine looked at Lindsey who had on a purple dress that was about twice the size she was and a hat with what looked to be a stuffed bird on it.  
  
"Somebody's been looking in the attic again," Catherine muttered to herself.  
  
"Yes, Catherine, dear, do change quickly," Sara said evilly. Catherine gave her a look and put the dress on over her head.  
  
"Yeah!" Lindsey exclaimed. "I made my famous blue tea."  
  
"Blue tea, how interesting," Sara said.  
  
"Sit and I will get it," Lindsey commanded.  
  
The two women obliged.  
  
"Go get the camera," Sara whispered to Catherine.  
  
"I will, I really need to capture this," Catherine whispered back, she raised her voice. "Lindsey, may I please get the camera?"  
  
"Yes, you may," Lindsey said in an authoritative voice.  
  
Catherine quickly left the room. She came back just as Lindsey was putting the blue lemon-aide on the table.  
  
"I am very happy you could join us, Ms. Sara," Lindsey said.  
  
"It is my pleasure," Sara said as Lindsey poured the 'tea'.  
  
"Sara, how are you feeling?" Catherine asked Sara.  
  
"Well enough to go to work in a couple hours," Sara said.  
  
"We'll see," Catherine said mischievously. "Sara, can you go get the napkins from the counter?"  
  
"Sure," Sara said, she got up.  
  
"Here," Sara said, putting the napkins onto the table.  
  
The three continued to play tea party for about half an hour, with brief photo interruptions, until the doorbell rang.  
  
"If you will excuse me, I must answer the door," Catherine said. She stood up an opened the door. It just happened to be Grissom.  
  
"Catherine," he said, sounding surprised.  
  
"What are you doing here, Grissom?" Catherine asked him.  
  
"To speak with Sara. And may I compliment you on your, uh, attire," he said.  
  
"We were playing a game," Catherine said in defense.  
  
"I was complimenting you," he said, holding back laughter.  
  
"Come in," Catherine said. When Grissom came through the door Catherine slapped the back of his head.  
  
"Ouch," he said. Before he could retaliate, Catherine spoke up.  
  
"Oh, Lindsey, dear, we have another guest," she called out. She led him into the kitchen.  
  
"Oh, goody," Lindsey said. She got out another cup and handed it to Grissom.  
  
"Actually, I need to speak to Sara," Grissom said, trying to get out of the situation.  
  
"You can't speak to me until you drink some," Sara took a sip, squinted from the sourness, and spoke up, "of this delicious tea."  
  
"Great," he said, taking a sip. He winced.  
  
After he had played for ten minutes he said, "Sara, we do need to talk, if you feel up to it."  
  
"I do," she said, Lindsey, I'll finish later, kay."  
  
"Ok," Lindsey said, she sounded disappointed.  
  
"Why don't you two talk in my office," Catherine said. She led the two up the stairs and to a room at the end of the hall.  
  
"Great, thanks," Grissom said. Sara sat down in a chair.  
  
"What is it you need to talk about?" Sara asked.  
  
"What happened, I am on the case," Grissom said, sitting down in the chair across from hers.  
  
"Where do I start?" Sara asked.  
  
"The beginning is nice," Grissom said.  
  
"Fine," Sara said.  
  
*~Flashback~*  
  
Sara gasped. In front of her was not Warrick, but a man with a gun.  
  
"Who are you?" she asked him.  
  
"My darling," he said. He moved forward as if to hug her, or to shoot her.  
  
"Sir, put the gun down and move away," she said.  
  
"Darling, don't you recognize me?" he asked her, coming even closer.  
  
"Go away," she said. She pushed him away; that just made him mad.  
  
His face turned red and he raised the gun over his head. It seemed in slow motion as he brought it down, hard, onto her head. Sara felt herself fall as she fell unconscious. Her hand let go of the swab and it flew into the grass beside her.  
  
*~End Flashback~*  
  
"So that's how he got you," Grissom said.  
  
"No, really," Sara said sarcastically.  
  
"What happened over the days you were gone?" Grissom asked.  
  
Sara curled up in a ball in the chair and hugged her knees.  
  
"I don't really want to talk about that right now," she said quietly.  
  
"Ok, you just have to tell me sometime," Grissom said.  
  
Grissom patted her shoulder and stood up to leave.  
  
"Grissom, I'll see you at work," Sara said.  
  
"We'll see," Grissom said.  
  
A few minutes after she heard the door close and Grissom's car leave, Sara got up and went back to Lindsey and Catherine.  
  
"How'd it go?" Catherine asked.  
  
Sara shrugged and that was the end of it.  
  
"Here, why don't you have some coffee," Catherine said, handing her a mug.  
  
"Thanks," Sara said, taking the mug.  
  
Sara took a sip.  
  
"Mmm, this is good," Sara said.  
  
"I'm so glad you like it," Catherine said.  
  
"What time is it?" Sara asked.  
  
"It's 2:01," Lindsey said proudly. "I can tell time now."  
  
"Yes you can," Catherine said. "And do you know what time it is?"  
  
Lindsey shook her head.  
  
"Tickle time!" Catherine shouted.  
  
Lindsey screamed and tried to run off but Catherine caught her. Lindsey's screams turned to laughter. Sara drank her coffee and laughed right along with them.  
  
Sara yawned.  
  
"You know, unlike you, I need sleep before I go to work. I am going to go take a nap," Sara said.  
  
"Do you know where your room is?" Catherine asked.  
  
"I'm assuming that it's the small room down the hall that has a bed, a dresser, and a light and is lacking any children's stuff," Sara said.  
  
"Hey, you assumed," Catherine accused.  
  
"Am I right?" Sara asked.  
  
"Yup," Catherine said.  
  
"Good," Sara said.  
  
Sara put the empty coffee cup on the table and went to her room. She didn't even bother to take off her shoes. Sara fell onto the bed and immediately fell asleep. 


	14. Sneak attack

1 Chapter 14  
  
Sara woke up to find Lindsey playing Barbie on her back. Sara turned over and was greeted by Lindsey's smiling face.  
  
"Hi," Lindsey said.  
  
"Lindsey?" someone asked, coming into the room. "Oh, Lindsey, let the poor lady sleep," she said.  
  
"It's ok, I'm awake anyways," Sara said.  
  
"Oh, I didn't know," the girl said. She stook out her hand. "Hi, I'm Kelsey, the baby-sitter." Kelsey turned to Lindsey. "Hey, why don't you set out checkers, I bet I can beat you this time."  
  
"No way!" Lindsey said. Lindsey dropped the barbies and ran out of the room.  
  
"Thank you," Sara said.  
  
"You're welcome," Kelsey said. "It's ok, she won't bother you anymore, I was getting a snack and she disappeared."  
  
"Where's Catherine?" Sara asked.  
  
"It's 6:30, she's at work," Kelsey said.  
  
"Oh, God. I'm late," Sara said.  
  
"No, I have been given strict orders to make you stay here," Kelsey said.  
  
"Well, to bad," Sara said.  
  
Kelsey blocked the door.  
  
"No, I get 20 extra for keeping you here," Kelsey said.  
  
"I'll give you thirty to let me go," Sara said.  
  
"When?" Kelsey asked suspiciously.  
  
Sara took thirty dollars out of her wallet and gave it to Kelsey. Kelsey counted it carefully.  
  
"Pleasure doing business with you," Kelsey said. She walked out to go join Lindsey.  
  
"Teenagers," Sara muttered to herself. Sara opened a suitcase filled with her stuff. She put on a pair of jeans and a nice T-shirt. Sara picked up her purse, badge, and gun and walked out. She noticed that someone had kindly driven her car to Catherine's house.  
  
"If they wanted me not to go to work, at least they could have confiscated my car," Sara said. Sara got in and drove to work.  
  
Sara walked into the brake room. The rest of the team was gathered around the table talking. Sara calmly got a cup of coffee and sat down between Nick and Warrick.  
  
"Hi," she said.  
  
"Oh, hi Sara," Nick said. "Sara?"  
  
"What are you doing here?" Warrick asked her.  
  
"What do you think?" Sara asked.  
  
"Sara, I thought you were asleep," Grissom said.  
  
"I was, twenty minutes ago," Sara said.  
  
"I thought Kelsey was supposed to watch you," Catherine said.  
  
"First, I don't need a baby-sitter," Sara said. "And second, Catherine, she's a teenager. It's called bribing her."  
  
Catherine threw her hands up in defeat.  
  
"So, what are all yall talking about?" Sara asked.  
  
"Nothing," Grissom said, hiding the case file.  
  
"What's that?" she asked.  
  
"Nothing," Grissom said.  
  
"Hey, if it's the case, I'm one of the investigators," Sara said.  
  
"Right, like I'll let you keep it," Grissom said. Sara sat openmouthed.  
  
"Then what am I supposed to do? Sit around all night long?" Sara asked rudely.  
  
The others looked at each other.  
  
"Yeah, that would seem about right," they said together.  
  
Sara threw her hands into the air and walked out, muttering to herself.  
  
"She's in a good mood," Warrick said sarcastically.  
  
"She's just being Sara," Grissom said. "Hopefully, she's gone home, um, to Catherine's."  
  
"Are you sure we are talking about Sara here? Her, go home early," Nick said.  
  
The team looked at each other. "Nah," they said together.  
  
"Now, where were we?" Grissom asked.  
  
The team went back to work.  
  
Sara went back to the lab where Greg was.  
  
"Hey Greg, whatcha doing?" she asked cheerfully.  
  
"Just processing the blood from the…Sara? What are you doing here? I thought Catherine was supposed to…never mind," Greg said quickly.  
  
"Catherine was supposed to do what Greg?" Sara asked, her voice with a small hint of a threat in it.  
  
"Nothing," Greg said, noticing his mistake.  
  
Sara walked over to him with an 'I am woman, hear me roar' stance. She looked him right in his eyes. "What Greg," she said threateningly.  
  
"I shouldn't say anything," Greg said. Sara didn't notice him paging Grissom for help.  
  
"I think you should," Sara said. She started tapping the table with her nails and her eyes narrowed to slits.  
  
"Oh, um," Greg said, he started sweating, he knew Sara could hurt him, badly.  
  
"Hey, Sara, could I talk to you?" Grissom asked, coming into the room.  
  
"Sure," Sara said, walking over to him.  
  
As soon as her back was turned, Greg mouthed 'thank you' to Grissom; he only nodded in return.  
  
Grissom led Sara to his office. Sara sat down in a chair as Grissom closed the door.  
  
"So, what do you want to talk about?" Sara asked.  
  
"We found this," Grissom said. He handed Sara a picture of a woman. Sara recognized her as, who she assumed to be, Christine.  
  
"Where did you get this?" Sara asked him, she took the picture from his hand.  
  
"We found it in your car," Grissom said.  
  
"My car? What was it doing in there?" Sara asked, handing the picture back to Grissom.  
  
"That's what I would like to know," he said. "You look like you've seen her before."  
  
"Only a picture," Sara said.  
  
"Where?" Grissom asked.  
  
"In the room he put me in," Sara said. Sara didn't realize what she had said until after she said it. 'Ooops,' she thought to herself.  
  
Grissom nodded and raised his eyebrows, "room?"  
  
Sara decided to tell him some things, not all. "Yeah, for awhile he locked me in a room with only a cot. After I gained his trust he moved to a regular room in my sleep. It had a small bed, a vanity, and a closet."  
  
"How did you escape?" Grissom asked her.  
  
"Let's just say that you should never underestimate me," was Sara's only reply.  
  
Grissom took that as an 'I will not tell you so drop it', he moved on. "So, who is she?"  
  
Sara's face turned blank. "I'm pretty sure her name is Christine; I also think she's dead," Sara said, she got up to leave.  
  
"Where are you going?" Grissom asked her.  
  
Sara turned around and faced him. She was being braver than ever with him by talking to him like this. "I am going to check on all brown eyed, brown hared women named 'Christine' who have died suddenly in the past five years," Sara said. "Because this is my case." Leaving no room for discussion, she turned to leave the room.  
  
Grissom stood up. "This is not your case, I took you off it. You are a victim," Grissom said.  
  
Sara spun around, her face red with fury. "Fine, take me off this case, see if I care. But I refuse to lower myself below this man and call myself a victim!" she spat out. "And I do not want to be labeled as helpless, handicapped, sick, or anything else you can come up with to get me out of here!" Sara spun around and stormed out of the room.  
  
"Where are you going?" Grissom demanded, following her.  
  
"Home. I have to go get something," Sara said angrily. She stormed down the hallway, knocking Nick out of her way.  
  
"Hurricane Sara hits," he said quietly. "What was that?"  
  
"Me taking her off the case," Grissom said.  
  
"I don't recommend doing that," Nick said.  
  
"K," Nick said.  
  
Grissom walked back into his office.  
  
Sara opened the door to her apartment. It was exactly as she had left it; neat and tidy. The only places noticeably different were her room, with the empty drawers, and the bathroom, with all the necessities gone. Catherine probably had packed for her. She looked into her room again. On her neatly made bed was a bouquet of red roses. She slowly walked over to her bed, sitting on the side of it. She noticed a florist's card in the bouquet and picked it up. It had only one word on it, 'Christine'. Sara dropped the card. She was suddenly very aware of her surroundings. Sara stood up and started to run out of her apartment.  
  
Grissom leafed through the many police reports. He took off his glasses, rubbed his eyes, and put them on again. That's when he noticed it, red roses. All the murder scenes had a bouquet of red roses at them. His mind flashed back to a memory. Roses, at Sara's apartment. He saw roses on Sara's bed when he and Catherine went to pack Sara's stuff. They hadn't been there before, when they went to check on Sara.  
  
"Oh, God," he said. He stood up and ran out of his office, nearly knocking Catherine over.  
  
"Whoa, where's the fire?" she asked him.  
  
"Sara's in danger. Remember there were red roses at her apartment. Well, every time he kills, he leaves roses. Sara's just went home," Grissom said urgently.  
  
"Crap," Catherine said.  
  
Grissom looked at her oddly. The two approached his car.  
  
"I just hope we aren't too late," Grissom said.  
  
He and Catherine got into the car and drove off. Grissom was going so fast, he had to slam on the brakes to keep from running a red light.  
  
"Grissom, slow down before you get us killed," Catherine yelled.  
  
"Well, sorry if I'm just a little anxious," Grissom said.  
  
"Just don't kill us," Catherine said.  
  
The rest of the ride was about the same. Everyone once and a while Catherine would yell at Grissom to slow down. Catherine looked thoroughly shaken up when they arrived at Sara's apartment. Grissom quickly parked the car and the two quickly got out and slammed the car doors. As they were running to the apartment, Catherine spoke up.  
  
"Next time, I drive," Catherine said.  
  
"Fine," Grissom said.  
  
They found Sara's apartment door open. They pulled their guns and walked cautiously inside.  
  
"Sara?" Catherine asked. She slowly pushed open the door to Sara's room. "Oh my God," she said, running to her.  
  
Sara was sprawled on the floor and the pool of blood around her was getting larger. The room was in shambles and there were little drops of blood everywhere. Catherine checked for a pulse, it was faint.  
  
"Grissom, get an ambulance!" she yelled.  
  
"What? Oh God," Grissom said, he quickly took out his cell phone and dialed.  
  
Catherine turned Sara over on to her stomach, even though she knew it would damage and/or destroy evidence. She checked to see if she was breathing, it was faint.  
  
"Is she?" Grissom asked.  
  
"She's alive, but barely," Catherine said.  
  
"The paramedics are on the way. We're lucky she lives close to the hospital," Grissom said.  
  
"Did you call the others?" Catherine asked.  
  
"Yes, the police and the others will be here shortly," Grissom said.  
  
"Where are those EMT's?" Catherine demanded.  
  
"Right here," a voice said. Two EMT's entered the room dragging a stretcher and their kits. The male took her pulse and blood pressure.  
  
"We have to get her to the hospital or we will lose her," he told his partner.  
  
"They're ready and waiting," she replied, the two transferred Sara to the stretcher. She turned to Catherine.  
  
"Sir, Ma'am, we're taking her to Memorial Shock/Trauma; it's about three miles from here," she said.  
  
"We know where it is," Grissom said.  
  
The EMT only nodded as she and her partner wheeled Sara out.  
  
"Let's go," Catherine said after she couldn't hear the sirens. The two got into the car and sped off to the hospital. The two rode in silence. Grissom parked the car and solemnly walked into the hospital.  
  
"Sara Sidle," Grissom told the receptionist. The receptionist saw the badge and gun and didn't ask any questions.  
  
"A-36. Down the hall to the right," she said, waving them through.  
  
"You'd think it'd be more difficult to get in here," Catherine said to Grissom.  
  
"Badge and gun help," Grissom said.  
  
"True," Catherine said. The two turned the corner and found Sara's room.  
  
Inside, two doctors and three nurses were working on her. She was hooked to a heartbeat monitor and small oxygen were in her nose. An IV was dripping blood into her veins.  
  
"Dr. Mahon?" Grissom asked, the doctor turned around.  
  
"Mr. Grissom," he said solemnly.  
  
"Is she going to be ok?" Grissom asked.  
  
"It depends on when she wakes out, if she does," Dr. Mahon said.  
  
"Excuse me?" Catherine said.  
  
He sighed. "There are several additional contusions on her head. Whoever did this to her was not happy," Dr. Mahon said. "Her blood loss is far more severe. With contusions like this we can only tell you that the longer she remains unconscious, the less likely for a complete recovery."  
  
"What are her chances?" Grissom asked.  
  
"I won't lie," Dr. Mahon said. "But, 60/40 on surviving. We have her on recessitate which brings it up to 70/30."  
  
"That bad?" Grissom asked.  
  
Dr. Mahon only nodded.  
  
"Dr., her rate's rising," a nurse said.  
  
The doctor nodded. Suddenly, a loud sound filled the room.  
  
Everyone's heat stopped as a flat line appeared on Sara's heart monitor. 


	15. Joe who?

1 I decided to stop playing evil author and put this up. I've kept you in suspense long enough.  
  
2 Chapter 15  
  
"Get me a crash cart!" Dr. Mahon yelled, he turned to Grissom and Catherine. "I'm sorry but you two will have to leave the room. Turn that sound off! Where is that cart?"  
  
Grissom and Catherine backed out of the room as a new nurse rolled the crash cart in.  
  
Sara felt like she was floating. All the pain was gone from her body. She looked around and saw that she was in a tunnel with lights swirling all around her.  
  
"Hello, Sara," someone said from behind her. Sara spun around her to see a very, very handsome man.  
  
"Joe?" she asked, tears filling her eyes.  
  
The man smiled and nodded. Sara went to hug him but he stopped her.  
  
"Joe, you're dead," Sara said, confused.  
  
"I know," Joe said. Sara noticed that he was dressed in all black.  
  
"Does that mean that I am, you know, dead?" Sara asked.  
  
"Yes and no," he said.  
  
"What does that mean?" Sara demanded.  
  
"Nothing now," he said.  
  
"I've missed you so much," she said.  
  
"I know. I always see you. As much as I hate to say this, you have to move on, to find another. He's there, somewhere," Joe told her seriously.  
  
"I don't want another," Sara said, pouting.  
  
"You need one. You have to move on with your life," he said. "I can only give you one thing."  
  
"What?" Sara asked.  
  
He leaned forward and kissed her on the forehead.  
  
"Sara, I am granting you a gift; the gift of life. Be sure to use it well," Joe said.  
  
"I don't understand," Sara said.  
  
Joe sighed, smiled, and looked at Sara. He took her face into his hands and kissed her lips, he pulled away just enough to speak.  
  
"Sara Sidle, it is not your time to die," he said.  
  
He kissed her again. As they kissed, Sara felt something pulling her back.  
  
"Clear!" Dr. Mahon ordered.  
  
It had been almost three minutes. Her time was almost up. All Dr. Mahon could think about was reviving her. Just before he could shock her again, the heart monitor started to beep; she was back. Dr. Mahon sighed and thanked God. The doctors and nurses all breathed sighs of relief and smiled at the unconscious woman in the bed.  
  
Dr. Mahon walked solemnly out of the room to give the news to her friends. When Grissom saw Dr. Mahon's face, his heart skipped a beat.  
  
"Well?" he asked, keeping his voice as steady as he could. Catherine looked panicked.  
  
"We got her back," Dr. Mahon said, he smiled at them.  
  
"Thank God," Catherine said. Catherine hugged Grissom, who looked surprised for a moment and then hugged her back.  
  
"Can we see her?" Grissom asked, breaking the hug. Catherine looked a little embarrassed about it.  
  
"I can't stop you," Dr. Mahon said, gesturing to the door.  
  
Grissom and Catherine quickly walked into the room, looking at the unconscious Sara.  
  
"She looks peaceful," Catherine said, tears of happiness in her eyes.  
  
"And alive," Grissom said. Breaking the moment, someone's beeper went off.  
  
"Mine," Catherine said. "Lindsey."  
  
"Go, I'll stay here," Grissom said to her.  
  
"Are you sure?" Catherine asked. Grissom only nodded.  
  
"Ok," Catherine said. She paused once and left the room, taking Grissom's car keys with her.  
  
Grissom pulled a chair up to Sara's bed. He checked his watch for the time. "8:30 am," his watch read. He was usually asleep by now. Grissom took Sara's hand in his own and gave it a small squeeze, he thought he felt her squeeze back. Grissom looked at her and smiled. He held her hand and watched her sleep.  
  
"This the hospital?" Warrick asked Nick.  
  
"That's what Catherine said," Nick replied.  
  
The two men had just dropped the evidence from Sara's apartment at the lab and were coming to visit her at the hospital. They were completely oblivious to her close encounter with death.  
  
"Room A-36," Nick said as they parked the car.  
  
"Oh, those are private rooms," Warrick said.  
  
"Do you think Griss will still be here?" Nick asked.  
  
"Does a father ever leave his sick daughter?" Warrick asked, using the comparison to the two's relationship.  
  
"True," Nick said.  
  
The two walked into the hospital.  
  
"Wait," Warrick said. He walked into the hotel gift shop and came out a few minutes later with a small plant.  
  
"That's a good idea," Nick said.  
  
"Thank you," Warrick said. "This way," he said, pointing towards the hallway where Sara's room was.  
  
"And you know your way around here how?" Nick asked.  
  
"Experience," Warrick said.  
  
Nick didn't push it.  
  
The two entered Sara's room to see both Sara and Grissom asleep. Sara was sleeping peacefully in the normal hospital-sleeping position. Grissom was holding her hand. He was sitting in a chair but his head and other arm were lying limply on the bed.  
  
Nick and Warrick chuckled.  
  
"Catherine's going to love this one," Nick said.  
  
"Yeah," Warrick said.  
  
Warrick walked over to Grissom and put his hand on Grissom's shoulder. Grissom woke up immediately.  
  
"What? Did I fall asleep? Did something happen?" he asked.  
  
"Yeah, you fell asleep," Nick said.  
  
"Did you finish processing the scene?" Grissom asked with an accusing tone.  
  
"And turned the evidence over to the lab," Nick confirmed. "Give us some credit, Griss. You are the one who trained us."  
  
"True," Grissom said. "I just need some coffee.  
  
"Here," Warrick said, handing him a cup.  
  
"How did you?" Grissom started.  
  
"You don't want to know," Warrick said.  
  
"Grissom," a soft, female voice said.  
  
The three men looked down to see that Sara was awake.  
  
"I'll go get a doctor," Nick said, nudging Warrick to follow him.  
  
"Hey," Grissom said, turning his chair to look at her. "How are you?"  
  
"I saw him," Sara said.  
  
"Who?" Grissom asked.  
  
"Joe," Sara said. "He made me come back."  
  
Warrick, who was standing in the doorway, gave Grissom a look. Grissom gave him one back that said 'tell you later.'  
  
"I'm so tired, Grissom," Sara said.  
  
Grissom stoked her forehead softly.  
  
"Go to sleep, Sara," he said. "Just go to sleep."  
  
"Ok," Sara said quietly, she closed her eyes and fell back asleep.  
  
Dr. Mahon came running into the room with Nick.  
  
"She fell back asleep?" he asked.  
  
Grissom nodded.  
  
"Great," he said. Dr. Mahon left the room.  
  
Nick looked at Sara, "she looks like a child," he said. "I always forget how people look so sweet and innocent when they sleep."  
  
Grissom placed Sara's hand onto the sheet that covered her and stood up.  
  
"Who's Joe?" Warrick asked.  
  
"Sara's fiancee. He was murdered by his father six years ago," Grissom said.  
  
"Sara had a fiancee?" Nick asked, amazed.  
  
"Yes, she has never really gotten over him. Nice man, though. They were very good for each other," Grissom said approvingly.  
  
"You mean Sara was not like she is now," Nick said.  
  
"You would never had recognized her," Grissom said. "After he died, she closed herself off from the world. It's her way of dealing with it. She has actually gotten much better," Grissom said.  
  
"Ok, everybody out!" Dr. Mahon ordered, coming into the room. He turned to Grissom. "Has she woken up again?" he asked.  
  
Grissom only shook his head.  
  
"Okay," he said, marking something down. "Now out! This is as much for your own good as hers," he said, shooing them out of the room. After he had gotten them out of the room, he proceeded to check Sara's vital signs.  
  
"I like him," Nick told Grissom.  
  
"So do I," Grissom admitted.  
  
The three men walked out of the hospital.  
  
"Um, where's my car?" Grissom asked.  
  
"Catherine borrowed it, she'll give it back tonight," Nick said.  
  
"Oh," Grissom said. "Oh yeah, she took it."  
  
"That would explain how she's borrowing it," Warrick said.  
  
Grissom gave him a look and the three got into Nick's car to drive to the CSI.  
  
"Griss, it was sweet of you to stay with Sara," Nick said.  
  
"She died," Grissom said.  
  
"What? But she was alive in there," Warrick said.  
  
"She flat-lined in the hospital and was clinically dead for almost three minutes," Grissom said.  
  
With that news, the car fell silent. The three drove in silence until they where about a block from the CSI.  
  
"She died," Warrick said, amazed. "I wonder if she had one of those near death experiences."  
  
"Warrick, those are entirely unscientific," Grissom said sharply.  
  
"Hey, when she woke up she started talking about seeing her dead fiancee," Warrick pointed out.  
  
"It could have been a dream," Grissom said.  
  
"Hey, first of all, you can't dream when you're clinically dead. Second, we can determine in near death experiences later. Third, we're here," Nick said, stopping the argument that was about to start. "Grissom, don't get out. You're going home."  
  
"Excuse me," Grissom said. Warrick quickly got out of the car to get his own and go home.  
  
"You can't help Sara if you're falling asleep. Besides, if I don't take you home, Catherine will have my head," Nick said.  
  
"That would be Catherine," Grissom muttered.  
  
"Grissom, where exactly do you live?" Nick asked.  
  
Grissom laughed and said, "just drive, I'll direct you."  
  
"Thanks," Nick said. The two drove in silence for a few minutes.  
  
"What did you get from Sara's apartment?" Grissom asked.  
  
"The ordinary," Nick said. "This guy was surprisingly sloppy this time. Have you gotten a minute-by-minute account from Sara yet."  
  
"Surprisingly, no," Grissom said. "She doesn't seem to want to talk. And when she does, she seems to be leaving things out, a lot of things, even some big ones."  
  
"She'll tell you or one of us when she feels like it. For all we know, he could have locked her in a room and ignored her," Nick said.  
  
"That's it. We don't know anything. I just hope that's what happened," Grissom said. "This is it."  
  
"Catherine will pick you up around 5:30. Get some sleep. It's an order from her," Nick said.  
  
"I have a feeling I am going to follow them," Grissom said.  
  
Grissom got out of the car and walked into his apartment, shutting the door behind him. He walked over to his bookshelf and pulled out a photo album. He opened it to a picture of Sara and Joe at graduation, just days before he died. The two were smiling and happy. A large ring was gleaming on Sara's finger. Grissom had investigated Joe's death and solved it. A tear ran down his face as he put the book back. Sara had changed so much. She used to be free, young, and innocent. Now Sara was turning into a replica of himself. That was the last thing he wanted and needed. Grissom went to bed and fell asleep quickly. 


	16. Oh...Joe (i might change it)

1 Chapter 16  
  
Sara woke up again, this time she was alone; she smiled. Joe; how nice it was to see him again. Perhaps he was right, she should try and get a life. Well, one that doesn't revolve the lab. She could never get over him, but at least she had his permission to try.  
  
'Since when do I ask his permission?' Sara asked herself.  
  
"Ah, sleeping beauty rises to greet the world," Dr. Mahon said, coming into the room.  
  
"Why am I here?" she asked him, although she already knew the answer. In fact, she remembered everything, her amnesia had worn off.  
  
"You, my dear, were nearly killed," he said.  
  
"I did die, didn't I," Sara said.  
  
"I won't lie to you," Dr. Mahon said.  
  
"That's a relief," Sara said.  
  
"Yes, clinically you were dead. But we were able to recessitate you," Dr. Mahon said, ignoring her comment. "Ah, and here come your friends. They rarely leave you alone."  
  
The entire team, including Brass, came in. Dr. Mahon gave them a disapproving glance.  
  
"I will let you slide this time, but don't make a habit of it. You are way past the two visitors at a time quota.  
  
"Thank you Dr. Mahon," Sara said.  
  
"Remember, I know nothing about you being here," he said, walking out.  
  
"I like him," Brass said.  
  
"So do I," everyone said together.  
  
"Wonderful to see you Sara," Catherine said, trying to be cheerful. It was hard considering she had been in the room when Sara flat-lined.  
  
"Don't hide it," Sara ordered.  
  
"Hide what?" Catherine asked.  
  
"The fact that I died. I know I did," Sara said.  
  
"And how do you know that?" Catherine asked.  
  
"I spoke with Joe," Sara said matter-of-factly.  
  
"Who?" Catherine asked, Sara didn't hear her.  
  
"He said I should get on with my life and it wasn't my time to die," Sara said.  
  
"And where were you when all of this happened?" Catherine asked, being polite but thinking Sara was crazy.  
  
"In the bright tunnel," Sara said.  
  
"And Joe is?" Catherine asked.  
  
"My fiancee," Sara said. She turned her head away so know one would see her tears.  
  
"Is he dead?" Catherine asked Grissom.  
  
"Yes," he answered. "You might want to change the subject."  
  
He raised his voice. "Sara, how are you?"  
  
"Fine, but I don't think Dr. Mahon will release me any time soon," she said.  
  
"You got that right," Dr. Mahon said, sticking his head into the room and moving on.  
  
"That was ironic," Nick said.  
  
Grissom patted Sara's hand, "take as much time as needed to get better."  
  
"Grissom, get this guy before I do," Sara said.  
  
"Why?" Grissom asked.  
  
"Figure it out," Sara said.  
  
Before Grissom could ask what she meant she closed her eyes and pretended to sleep. The team took the hint and left.  
  
"I don't want her to touch this case," Grissom told the others.  
  
"Why?" Nick asked. "Shouldn't she know everything?"  
  
"Not now," Grissom said. "I think that she will kill this man, given the opportunity. Even if it is in cold blood."  
  
"I agree with Grissom," Catherine said.  
  
The others all agreed.  
  
"Did you find anything on Christine?" Grissom asked Warrick.  
  
"Yup, I printed it out for you. It's at the lab," Warrick answered.  
  
"Good," Grissom said, spotting Dr. Mahon. "Dr. Mahon?"  
  
"Yes?" he asked, turning around.  
  
"When will she be released?" Grissom asked.  
  
"Anywhere from tomorrow to two weeks, why?" he asked.  
  
"Keep her as long as you'd like," he said.  
  
"Will do," the Dr. said, he walked into a patient's room.  
  
Grissom raised his eyebrow and turned to his team (minus Sara).  
  
"We'd better go back to the lab and finish processing the evidence," he said, bored.  
  
The team silently agreed and headed out the door.  
  
"Hey! Grissom!" Greg called as they walked into the lab. He jogged up to them.  
  
"What is it Greg?" Grissom asked.  
  
"I processed the hair from Sara's car, it's the same from the kidnap/murder scene." 


	17. Family Portrait

Oh, yeah, thanks LA for helping me a few times in this story (but not too much). And I would also like to thank all of my loyal reviewers, I really appreciate those reviews.  
  
  
  
Two white vans pulled in front of the farmhouse. The team walked to the front door and Grissom knocked on the door. The man inside opened the door, fixing his long hair, which was tied into a ponytail. Grissom help out his search warrant.  
  
"This gives us permission to search your house and barn," Grissom informed him.  
  
"Go ahead, just don't hurt anything," was the man's only reply.  
  
"Thank you for your cooperation," Grissom said sarcastically.  
  
He turned to his team.  
  
"Catherine and Warrick, you check out the barn. Nick and I will search the house."  
  
"Yes, sir," Warrick said, turning with Catherine towards the barn.  
  
When the two reached it, Catherine and Warrick, with much determination, pushed the two large, red doors apart. Catherine looked to her right and slapped herself on the head mentally.  
  
"There was a door," she said.  
  
"Our mistake," Warrick said.  
  
The two walked into the barn to an art studio. Plastic sheets covered the paintings and art supplies left almost no room to move. Catherine walked over to one of the canvasses and removed the sheet.  
  
"What the hell?" Catherine exclaimed.  
  
"What? Damn!" Warrick asked coming up behind her.  
  
The two just stared at the painting of three winged unicorns, all different colors flying across a rainbow.  
  
"I've been looking for something like this for Lindsey," Catherine said.  
  
"And I wondered why he didn't want us in here," Warrick said.  
  
"I think its nice," Catherine retaliated.  
  
Warrick gave her a look.  
  
"What?" she asked him.  
  
"Nothing, let's keep looking," Warrick said, avoiding the subject.  
  
Catherine shook her head and the two started to look around. Suddenly, Warrick tripped and fell on something.  
  
"Ouch!" he exclaimed.  
  
"You all right?" Catherine asked.  
  
"Yup, come look at this," Warrick told her.  
  
"Find something?" she asked him.  
  
"Oh yes," Warrick said, amazed.  
  
Catherine walked over to join him.  
  
"Jesus!" she said (to any people offended by that last comment, note that I am Christian too)  
  
As that happened…  
  
Grissom and Nick began to search the basement, but they could barely move because of all the boxes.  
  
"Well, somebody's a pack rat," Nick said, opening a box. "I wonder if there is anything interesting in he…hello!"  
  
"What did you find?" Grissom asked.  
  
"A family portrait," Nick answered, he looked at the portrait, "with an unexpected twist."  
  
"Let me see," Grissom ordered, taking one side of the frame and looking at it.  
  
"See it?" Nick asked.  
  
Before Grissom could answer they heard whispering coming from under them.  
  
"Ouch, I think we're here," a man's voice said.  
  
"Here's a door, help me with it," a woman said.  
  
"On three, one…two…three!" he said. "Damnit, something's blocking it."  
  
Grissom and Nick looked at the floor incredulously.  
  
"Um, could you please get off our heads?" the woman's voice asked.  
  
Nick and Grissom jumped out of the way. Grissom held the portrait. Suddenly, the floor opened and knocked down several boxes.  
  
"A little help," the woman ordered.  
  
Grissom and Nick ran to the whole and looked in to see a very dirty Warrick and Catherine.  
  
"What? How? I shouldn't even ask," Grissom said quickly.  
  
"That was fun, let's do it again," Warrick said to Catherine like a little child coming off a ride.  
  
"No," Catherine said quickly and definitely.  
  
"So, this is what you found," Nick said.  
  
"And a few examples of this man's habit," Catherine said bluntly. "How about you?" she asked.  
  
"This," Grissom said, showing them the portrait.  
  
"Whoa, what's with the freaky twin thing?" Warrick asked, looking at the picture.  
  
"I don't know, but I have a feeling that we're in the wrong place," Grissom said.  
  
"Why is that?" the man asked as he came down the stairs.  
  
"Why are you down here?" Grissom demanded.  
  
"I heard some commotion and came to make sure you were all right," he said, then he noticed the floor. "Oh! You found the passage. I've been looking for that thing for years."  
  
"Sir, why didn't you tell us about your brother?" Nick asked him.  
  
"You never asked," he said bluntly.  
  
"Where is he?" Grissom asked.  
  
"How the hell should I know? After his girl died, he disappeared. Aint seen or heard from him since," the man. "Sorry that I can't help you."  
  
"We appreciate you cooperation, but we have to go," Grissom said, shaking his hand and walking out, the team close behind.  
  
"Now what do we do?" Nick asked.  
  
"Wait for him to either resurface or go after Sara again," Grissom said.  
  
"Or Sara after him," Catherine pointed out.  
  
"If Sara has any brains about her she will not go after him," Grissom said, but he sounded unsure.  
  
"Let's go check on her," Catherine offered. The team got into their vans and drove off. 


	18. Bordom to plots

Sara was so bored; she was actually counting the ceiling tiles. Dr. Mahon said she would be released soon, but Sara knew that that meant a couple of days. This was very annoying because Sara felt fine, a little sore, but fine. Sara also knew that after she was released she wouldn't be let inside the lab for at least a week. Sara was plotting her escape when her friends came in.  
  
"Grissom! Catherine! Nick! Warrick! What a pleasant surprise, I wasn't expecting you," Sara said cheerfully. Catherine was immediately on her guard.  
  
"You seem better Sara," Grissom said.  
  
"Please, let me out of here before I die of boredom," Sara pleaded.  
  
"No can do, I don't own the hospital," Grissom replied.  
  
"Then give me something to do! I'll…I'll…I'll do paperwork," she said desperately.  
  
"You are desperate," Warrick said, obviously humored by Sara's boredom.  
  
"I've counted the ceiling tiles two and a half times," Sara said smugly.  
  
"We'll get you something," Catherine said, patting her hand. "Once you start counting ceiling tiles, you're going insane."  
  
"So, how do you feel?" Warrick asked.  
  
"Nearly 100% (she new they would never believe 100)! I want to go! I am not even allowed to get up by myself! I am surprised that they even let me breathe on my own!" Sara yelled, waving her arms in the air.  
  
Grissom smiled and pulled her hand down to the bed. "Don't worry Sara, you'll be out of here in no time," he said, trying to console her.  
  
"Ha! That's what everyone says, but you know as well as I that they have been given orders to keep me here; and I don't like it!" Sara exclaimed, pointing a finger at Grissom to show that she thought he was responsible.  
  
Grissom smiled and his beeper went off.  
  
"I'm sorry Sara, but we have to go," Grissom said, he turned to leave.  
  
"Sorry, girl," Nick said, he and Warrick turned after Grissom.  
  
Catherine gave Sara a friendly squeeze on her arm and followed.  
  
Sara watched them leave intently. Before Grissom walked out the door, he saw something fall out of his pocket, no one else noticed. She was about to say something but she thought better of it and closed her mouth. When she could not hear their footsteps any more, she retrieved it.  
  
"It was nice to see her act like herself," Nick said.  
  
Catherine, who was thinking to herself, only sighed in response.  
  
"Earth to Catherine. Wassup Cath? You aint talking much," Warrick said, waving a hand in front of her face.  
  
"I think we should get someone to guard her," Catherine said.  
  
"Why? Do you think he will come after her in the hospital?" Grissom asked, concerned.  
  
"No, but I think that she'll escape, or try to; I could see it in her eyes," Catherine said.  
  
"That's not something Sara would do. She's too smart for that," Grissom said, but he sounded more like he was trying to convince himself.  
  
"We have been pushing her to it," Catherine said, she walked off.  
  
"Sometimes I think that women always know more than they let on," Nick said.  
  
"I agree," Warrick said.  
  
"I'll call Brass to get someone," Grissom said.  
  
Sara looked at the folded piece of paper in her hand. After much deliberation, her conscience lost and a thought of 'finders keepers' won; she opened it.  
  
"16832 Main Street road, Plot 3869B," she read to herself. "I bet this is where Christine is," she said aloud.  
  
"Who?" Dr. Mahon asked, coming into the room.  
  
"A friend of mine," Sara lied.  
  
"Oh! Another friend! She isn't coming, is she?" Dr. Mahon said, feigning panic.  
  
He was being so silly that Sara had to smile (laughing hurt her).  
  
"There. That's better than that frown you keep posted on your face," he said triumphantly. "It's time for your check up."  
  
Sara stuck her tongue out in disgust.  
  
"I know you love it, but passing means you can go home," Dr. Mahon said.  
  
Upon hearing this, Sara instantly behaved.  
  
"There's a good girl," Dr. Mahon praised her.  
  
"Dr. Mahon, have you ever considered pediatrics?" Sara asked.  
  
"Once," he said, thinking, "but I like adults better. They cry and scream less."  
  
"You'd be good at it," Sara pointed out.  
  
"You're the fifth person to tell me that," Dr. Mahon said, Sara raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Today."  
  
Sara started to laugh, which hurt, "don't you think somebody's giving you a hint?"  
  
Dr. Mahon pretended to think for a minute. "Naw. Now, that wasn't so bad."  
  
"You're done?" Sara said incredulously.  
  
"No, just the blood work," he said happily, Sara gave him a look.  
  
"Hey, between checkups, can I at least walk around the hospital?" Sara asked.  
  
"Unfortunately, it's hospital policy that patients stay in their rooms, especially patients that are recovering from critical condition."  
  
"Then what am I supposed to do all day?" Sara exclaimed.  
  
Dr. Mahon handed her the remote to the television, "play couch potato," he said, "now hold still or I'll send the very energetic kids down here," he threatened.  
  
Sara grudgingly obeyed him, cursing herself for going home, and Grissom for making her angry. Sara continued to plot her escape.  
  
"How's Sara?" Greg asked when he noticed Grissom coming into the lab.  
  
"Good. Alive. Very bored, but alive," Grissom answered.  
  
"Good. Um, I'm not sure if she's still on the case, but I have her results from the second scene," Greg said.  
  
"She's not, but I am," Grissom said; he took the results from Greg.  
  
"I will have the rest of the results soon," Greg said.  
  
"Good, I will need them ASAP," Grissom told Greg, he walked into his office. 


	19. And the plot thickins...

Legal Stuff: All characters in this story are false. Any actual names used in the story are purely coincidental so please don't take any offense. This story is not made to make money, it is purely done to take up my free time and to entertain. I do not own anything in this story except for those fictional characters which I make up. So all yall don't sue me! Story stuff: Sara looked at the clock, it said 11:45am; it was time. Sara climbed out of bed and opened the bag of clothes Catherine had brought for her. 'Jesus Christ!' Sara thought 'what the hell?' Inside was an ugly light pink pair of Capri and a white shirt with pink designs on it and a pink sweater to match. Sara's upper lip began to twitch. Where the hell had Catherine found these? Sara thought she had hidden them very well, or even better, burned them. Catherine was definitely using them to keep her in the hospital. Sara shrugged and put on the outfit. "You're really going, aren't you," a male voice said from behind her. Sara spun around to see who it was, praying that it wasn't Nick.or Warrick.or even worse, Grissom. Luckily, it was only Dr. Mahon. "Um, doctor, please, don't call Grissom, I really need to get out of here," Sara said. "Don't go out the front door, there are guards guarding every exit. Take the emergency stairwell down to the 7th floor and go into the employee locker room and grab an extra doctor jacket. After that, take the elevator down to the first floor and take the garage exit. And do it quickly," Dr. Mahon said. Sara could only stare at him. "Weren't you told to keep me here?" she asked him. "Yeah. For as long as I want. Everything is fine and I don't want you here anymore, but they won't let me release you. As long as you promise to come back and pay, I'll help you get out," Dr. Mahon replied, shrugging. "Why do I need the jacket?" Sara asked. "A, to disguise yourself as a doctor and get out of here. And B, to cover up that hideous outfit you're wearing, if I were you I'd burn it," he said. "I'm planning to," Sara said. "Good," he said. "Now go." Sara ran down the hall and threw open the door to the stairwell. She started to run down the stairs but realized that the door was closing really slowly and someone would probably see it so she ran up, closed the door, and continued on her way. As she was putting on the jacket on the rack, it surprisingly fit her, an intern walked in. "Hey, I've never seen you before. Are you new?" She asked kindly. "Yeah, I am. I'm Sara," Sara said. "I'm Katie," the girl said, they shook hands. "You better go. You don't want to be late or Ms. Crawfeld will always be on your back," Katie said, going over to her locker. "Ok," Sara said, walking out. "That was close," Sara muttered to herself. Sara felt sorry for the girl, she would be getting a sound scolding from Grissom, but so was she. Sara made her way through the parking garage and out of the hospital. 'I'm free!' she thought to herself. 'Free, free at last.' Sara started to run.  
  
An orderly wheeled the lunch cart down the hall. She was walking down to the next person on her list, a Miss Sara Sidle. She was extremely quiet and the orderly could tell she did not want to be here. She didn't know why the woman was so upset considering she had guards and her friends were with her almost 24/7; the orderly would love that kind of attention. The orderly turned into the room. First she saw the clock, which read 12:05pm. Then the empty hospital bed in front of her. The orderly abandoned her cart and ran to make the call.  
  
Las Vegas Crime Lab The team was going over all the evidence from all the scenes. "Where are we trying to go with this? We know who did it, we only need to get him," Catherine said, clearly complaining. "Maybe going over the evidence will help us find a clue to his location," Grissom said, trying to calm her. "Oh, sure, he probably put a little red sign in his yard that says his address and phone number," Catherine said sarcastically. "Catherine, when is the last time you eat something?" Warrick asked. "Shut up," Catherine said. Warrick pulled something out of his pocket and threw it to her. "A power bar?" she asked. "It's something," he said. Catherine shrugged, unwrapped part of it, and started to eat it. A cell phone rang. "Grissom," Grissom said. "She what?! Be right there." "What did Sara do?" Catherine asked. Grissom raised his eyebrows at her. "She escaped." "I told you so," Catherine said, she got up and ran out the door with the others.  
  
The team arrived to find Brass talking to a hysterical orderly. "I swear, I'm sorry. I didn't know she was gone until I brought the cart in. Now I will lose my job and I won't be able to pay anything." she was declaring over and over while sobbing. "You won't be fired," Brass assured her, trying to console her and make her stop crying. He saw Grissom and walked over to him. "What happened?" Grissom asked. "Orderly came in with the lunch cart and found her gone. Kid's going hysterical," Brass said. "How'd she escape? She isn't exactly close to the ground," Grissom asked. "Probably sneaked out, but no guards saw her," Brass answered. "Inside help?" Catherine asked, she had been listening the whole time. Brass only shrugged. "No evidence of any, but then, that's your area," Brass said. "What is going on here?" a voice demanded from behind them. "Miss Sidle needs her. whoa, Miss Sidle isn't here." "Dr. Mahon, how wonderful of you to join us," Grissom said. "When was the last time you checked on Sara?" Catherine asked. "Last night," Dr. Mahon said without skipping a beat. "Not this morning?" she asked suspiciously. "Her checkups have been reduced to once a day during the evenings," Dr. Mahon replied. "Oh," was all Catherine could manage in her embarrassment. "Can I go now, all this suspicion is starting to make me feel unwanted," he said, slowly backing towards the door, holding his clipboard behind his back. Catherine gave him a look and asked, "what's the hurry?" "I'm a doctor on call," he stated. "You got a point. Grissom, I forgot something in the car," she said. She started to walk out. She grabbed the sheet of the clipboard that has the schedule and on it 'SIDEL, SARA: 11:45AM.' "You lian s.o.b," she whispered to him. "Hey, I need that," he retaliated. "Well, it's mine now," she says. "Catherine, can you get me my water for me?" Grissom asked, oblivious to the entire conversation. "Sure," she said, putting the paper into her front pocket. Dr. Mahon quickly escaped out the door. Grissom sat on the bed and started to think. "Now where would she go?" he asked Brass, Nick, and Warrick. Nick spoke up first, "Home to burn that pink thing Catherine brought her. Who gave that to her anyways?" Grissom gave him a look, "her mother." "Ouch," Warrick said. "Well, let's go," Catherine said, standing in the doorway. "How long have you been there?" Grissom asked. "A while, Dr. Mahon showed me a shortcut," Catherine said bluntly. "A shortcut?" Grissom asked. "Yeah, it was some fire escape," Catherine said. "Brass, did we have guards on the fire escapes?" Grissom asked. "No," Brass said. The boys ran down the hall, pulling Catherine behind them. "What did I do?" she asked. "Where's the shortcut?" Grissom asked her. "Here," Catherine said, showing them the door. "Why?" "Sara probably used it," Nick said. "Oh." Grissom slowly opened the door and walked in. The team walked down several floors until floor #6. "Hey Griss, look what I found," Nick said, holding up a piece of brown hair. "She was here," Catherine said. "Let's go to her house, she should be there, it's 12:45," Warrick said. "Let's go," Grissom said, continuing down the stairs. Sara's Apartment Warrick opened the door to the apartment to find it empty and a fresh fire in the fireplace. "Looks like she was here," Warrick said, letting the others in. "Why would she make a fire and leave?" Grissom asked. Nick walked over to the fireplace and peered in. "One guess." "The ceremonial burning of the pink clothes?" he asked. "Yeah," Nick said. "She took some clothes from her dresser," Catherine said from Sara's room. "Wonderful," Grissom said sarcastically. A car engine started. "Grissom, did you leave the keys in the van?" Catherine asked. "Oh, no," Grissom said, turning on his heals and running out. "Men," she said under her breath. "And we're back to that," Warrick said after hearing her. "Damnit!" a man yelled from outside. The team ran outside to find the van gone and Grissom cursing. "She took the car, didn't she?" Catherine asked. A child's laugh was heard from behind them. The team turned around to see the little kid who had shown them the key laughing at them. "Vampire lady took your car, took your car, took your car. Vampire lady took your car, so you can't go away," the kid taunted. Grissom looked at the kid for a minute and yelled, "Brass!" "A new van's on its way. There was a lot of laughter on how you got your van stolen," Brass said. "Grissom, I forgot to give you this," Catherine said, giving him the appointment schedule. Grissom first looked at the schedule, and then at Catherine. "So, we caught our good doctor in his first lie," Grissom said.  
  
Hospital Sara walked into Dr. Mahon's office in the doctor's jacket; Dr. Mahon wasn't wearing his. "Well, hello there Sara, how are you?" he asked her. "Good, I wanted to return this," she said handing him back his jacket. "I'd go now," Dr. Mahon said. "How do I get out?" she asked. The two looked at the air vent.  
  
Grissom and Catherine walk into the doctor's office to find him at his desk, a jacket on the back of his chair. "Where is she?" he asked. "She who? This is a hospital, there are a lot of she's her," Dr. Mahon said. "Don't play dumb with me. I deal with a lot of liars every day," Grissom said. "You have to be a bit more specific," Dr. Mahon. "Sidle, Sara. The patient that escaped," Grissom said. "Oh, see now we're communicating," Dr. Mahon said. Grissom crossed his arms. Dr. Mahon shook his head and put on the jacket. "That jacket seems a little small for you," Catherine noticed. "It shrunk in the wash," he said. "Oh," she said. She paused for a moment and looked him in the eye. "Cotton doesn't shrink," she said. Dr. Mahon fell silent. "Dr., we need to talk," Grissom said. "About what?" Mahon asked. "Lying to us, for starters," Grissom said. "Oh." "What have you lied to us about?" Grissom asked. "I don't remember." "I don't buy it." "I got patients, excuse me," Dr. Mahon said. "Hold it," Catherine said, stopping him at the door. "Excuse me," a small voice said from behind them, tapping Grissom on the shoulder. "What do you need?" Grissom asked the intern. "Doctor Mahon is needed. Now," she said, pulling Mahon down the hall. "We'll talk later," Mahon said. The intern pulled him around a corner and Sara took off her wig. "That was good," she said. "Where'd you get the wig?" Mahon asked. "The fat lady down the hall," she said. "Oh." "I gotta go," Sara said, turning the corner and running. Dr. Mahon continued down the hall. "Dr. Mahon," Grissom said from behind him, he could tell from his voice. Dr. Mahon stopped in his exact position with one foot in the air. Grissom walked up to him. "Are you free now?" he asked him. "Can I move?" Dr. Mahon asked in a small voice. "It's a free country," Grissom said bluntly. "Of course it is, except when you're around," Dr. Mahon said. "What is that supposed to mean?" Grissom asked. "You're the expert, you tell me," Dr. Mahon said. As if on cue, Sara walked by in an intern outfit. "Sara!" Grissom called. Sara started to walk faster as Grissom began to follow. "Sara!" he yelled, breaking into a full ran. Sara ran at top speed and sped around the corner. Grissom turned the corner and spotted her at the desk shuffling papers. "There you are," he said, spinning her around; it was a poor, innocent intern. "Excuse me," she said. "I'm sorry, I thought you were someone else," Grissom apologized. "Oh, ok," she said, turning back around. "Wakko," she said under her breath. Grissom gave her a look and turned to Mahon. "You saw her, didn't you?" he asked. "You're so anxious to see her, you're seeing things," Mahon said. "You must be working to hard." Dr. Mahon walked away and into the doctor's locker room. He walked over and stood facing the lockers. "You are one lucky girl, you know that?" he asked seemingly no one. "Well, considering I've almost died twice in the past two weeks, yeah," Sara said, coming out from behind the lockers. "How'd you escape?" he asked her. "I walked into the girl's bathroom. It's the best place; Warrick's chicken, Nick's stupid, and Grissom wouldn't dare," she said. "Why doesn't that surprise me. What about the girl?" he responded. "She's the only one I'm afraid of," Sara said. "Why is that?" he asked. "She has the brains, the smarts, and the know-how. Unlike Nick she would figure it out, unlike Grissom she would go in, and unlike Warrick she would actually attempt to pull me out. So she's the only one I'm worried about," Sara said. "As you should be," Catherine said, coming out from behind another set of lockers and leans against them. Sara tried to escape but Catherine caught her by the back of the jacket. Dr. Mahon grabbed Catherine's wrist and jerked it backwards so that the jacket came of Sara. He forced Catherine to look at him. "The last time you tried to stop her she almost got killed Catherine, do want to risk it again?" he asked her. Catherine thought for a moment. "I'll go create a diversion. Sara, I never want you to complain that I haven't done anything for you," Catherine said, giving up. "Great, Catherine," Sara said. "Now get out before I get my sanity back and change my mind," Catherine said. Sara quickly slipped into the air vent. "That's smart," Catherine mumbled. Catherine looked at doctor Mahon. "What am I supposed to do?" 


	20. Endings

"Hey, Grissom!" Catherine yelled at her boss who was walking by the nurse's station.  
  
He turned around to look at her.  
  
"They got an intern on the 8th floor who spotted Sara twice, earlier and now. The name's Katie Kat, with a K," Catherine said.  
  
"Let's go," Grissom said.  
  
Grissom and Catherine walked into a room on the 8th floor where the same intern who  
  
Sara had met earlier was talking to Brass.  
  
"The first time I told her not to be late for work and she walked off," she said.  
  
"And the second time?" Brass asked.  
  
The intern looked at Catherine. Catherine nodded slightly, which Grissom noticed. Grissom glared suspiciously at Catherine, she didn't notice his glance.  
  
"The.the second time she looked at me, smiled and walked into an elevator," she said nervously. "Can I go now?"  
  
Brass looked at her and nodded. The intern quickly left the office.  
  
"That was a lot of help," Grissom mumbled.  
  
Catherine sighed in return and turned around, Grissom followed suit, the two started down the hall.  
  
"There was no second time, was there?" Grissom asked Catherine, without looking at her.  
  
"What do you mean?" Catherine asked him.  
  
"Damn it Catherine!" Grissom said, grabbing her arm and turning her so that she was facing him and looking into his eyes. "Look at me in the face and tell me you didn't tell that intern to tell us about seeing her!" he ordered.  
  
"Grissom, you're making a scene," Catherine said calmly.  
  
"Catherine, don't avoid the subject," he ordered.  
  
"Grissom, you're hurting my arm," she said, in the same flat tone.  
  
"Catherine!" Grissom yelled at her.  
  
By now, the entire hall was staring at them and Nick, Warrick, and Brass were coming quickly to break it up.  
  
"If I tell you, will you let me go?" she asked him.  
  
Grissom let go of her arm and took a step back, just now realizing what he had done.  
  
"Catherine.," he began as an apology.  
  
"Hey, what's going on?" Nick asked, as the three others arrived on the scene.  
  
"Catherine, I suspect, got an intern to lie to us about seeing Sara to help her," Grissom said, glaring at Catherine.  
  
"Not about the first one," she said, looking at her feet and rubbing her arm.  
  
"What?" Grissom asked her.  
  
"She didn't lie about the first one," Catherine said, sounding more assured of herself.  
  
"And how did you find this out?" Grissom asked her.  
  
"Dr. Mahon," she said innocently.  
  
Grissom raised his eyebrows at her.  
  
"Dr. Mahon!" Grissom exclaimed as he entered the doctor's office.  
  
"Yes, Mr. Grissom," he said.  
  
"I know that you are helping Sara Sidle," Grissom stated.  
  
Dr. Mahon looked over at Catherine who shrugged innocently.  
  
"You're accomplice," Grissom said referring to Catherine, "almost succeeded in helping you, but accidentally made a mistake.  
  
"Oh, really," Dr. Mahon said.  
  
"Where is Sara Sidle?" Grissom demanded.  
  
"I don't know," Dr. Mahon said innocently.  
  
Grissom slammed his hands of Dr. Mahon's desk in looked into his eyes.  
  
"Where the hell is Sara Sidle?" he asked again.  
  
"I honestly don't know," Dr. Mahon said, keeping his gaze in Grissom's.  
  
"Damnit!" Grissom exclaimed, banging his hands on the desk one more and finally folding them across his chest. When he hit the table, everyone in the room flinched.  
  
"But," Dr. Mahon said, thinking to himself, "I remember her saying something about an old friend named, oh, what was it? Cathy? Cathleen? Christine? Christy? Katie?"  
  
"Christine? Was her name Christine?" Grissom asked him.  
  
"Yeah. I think so. Yep. That was definitely it," he responded.  
  
Grissom immediately started to check his pockets to find that only his wallet was there.  
  
"Damnit!" he said again.  
  
"What?" Catherine asked him, clearly curious.  
  
"I had the address where Christine was buried in my pocket!" Grissom exclaimed.  
  
"Oh no," Catherine said, she turned to Dr. Mahon.  
  
"You told me she had it under control! That she was perfectly capable of doing this herself! And that it was better if we stayed out of it!" she yelled at him.  
  
"So that's how you convinced her to help you," Warrick said.  
  
"Shut up Warrick!" Catherine demanded.  
  
The doctor only shrugged, "that's what I thought. Who's Christine?"  
  
"Christine is the dead woman the killer confuses Sara with," Catherine informed the doctor.  
  
"I had no idea. If I had known that I would have stopped her," Mahon said,  
  
"Let's go," Grissom said.  
  
The CSI team and Brass left except for Nick.  
  
"Oh, you in trouble now man," he taunted.  
  
Before the doctor could respond, Nick had turned and run out of the room.  
  
Sara pushed open the gate to the section of the graveyard where Christine was buried. Shutting the gate behind her, she walked silently though the graves. She stepped on a stick, which caused her to jump.  
  
"Hello, Christine."  
  
"I need backup at Pines Cemetery ASAP!" Grissom yelled into the Walkie- talkie while running to the van.  
  
The team hopped into the van and sped down the highway to the cemetery; sirens and lights starting to follow them.  
  
Sara turned around to see her captor standing behind her next to the very grave she was looking for.  
  
"I am not Christine," Sara said gently.  
  
"Yes you are. You are Christine, my fiancee and love of my life," he protested.  
  
"No, I am not," Sara said again. "She was."  
  
Sara pointed to the grave of Christine. The man saw it and started to shake. He fell to his knees, sobbing hysterically so that his entire body shook.  
  
"Christine. My Christine," he muttered over and over in between his sobs.  
  
Sara felt a sudden wave of affection for this man. She knelt on the ground and put her arms comfortingly around him.  
  
"There there, it's okay," she told him.  
  
He moved into her arms so that she was now hugging him while he sobbed over his dead fiancee.  
  
As he was sobbing, the CSI team, Brass, and several uniformed officers rushed onto the scene. They stopped when they saw the grown man being comforted by the woman who was supposed to be his victim. Sara looked up from the man and looked right into his eyes, a message passing between them that only they knew. Grissom nodded and put his gun away while the man sobbed away in Sara's arms. 


End file.
